We isolated the phenolic glucoside salicortin from a Populus euramericana bark extract, and examined its ability to suppress inflammatory responses as well as the molecular mechanisms underlying these abilities, using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Salicortin inhibited iNOS expression and the subsequent production of NO in a dose-dependent manner in the LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Salicortin significantly suppressed LPS-induced signal cascades of NF-κB activation, such as IKK activation, IκBα phosphorylation and p65 phosphorylation in RAW 264.7 cells. In addition, salicortin inhibited the LPS-induced activation of JNK, but not ERK or p38 MAPK. Furthermore, salicortin significantly inhibited production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 in the LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. These findings suggest that salicortin may show its anti-inflammatory activity by suppressing the LPS-induced expression of pro-inflammatory mediators through inhibition of NF-κB and JNK MAPK signaling cascades in macrophages. [BMB Reports 2014; 47(6): 318-323]

Aldose reductase (AR) inhibitors have considerable therapeutic potential against diabetic complications and do not increase the risk of hypoglycemia. Through bioassay-guided fractionation of the 70% acetone extract obtained from Paulownia coreana seeds, phenylpropanoid glycosides (compounds 1-4) and 5 phenolic coumpounds were isolated (compounds 5-9). Their structures were determined on the basis of spectroscopic analysis and comparison with reported data. All the isolates were subjected to in vitro bioassays to evaluate their inhibitory activities against recombinant human aldose reductase (rhAR) and sorbitol formation in human erythrocytes. Phenylethanoid glycosides showed more effective than the phenolic compounds in inhibiting rhAR. Among the compounds, isocampneoside II (3) was found to significantly inhibit rhAR with an IC 50 value of 9.72 m mM. In kinetic analyses performed using Lineweaver-Burk plots of 1/velocity and 1/concentration of substrate, isocampneoside II (3) showed uncompetitive inhibition against rhAR. Furthermore, it inhibited sorbitol formation in a rat lens incubated with a high concentration of glucose; this finding indicated that isocampneoside II (3) may effectively prevent osmotic stress in hyperglycemia. Thus, the P. coreana-derived phenylethanoid glycoside isocampneoside II (3) may have a potential therapeutics against diabetic complications.

No abstract

Metabolic diseases affect various organs including the brain. Accumulation or depletion of substrates frequently leads to brain injury and dysfunction. Deficiency of aminopeptidase P1, a cytosolic proline-specific peptidase encoded by the Xpnpep1 gene, causes an inborn error of metabolism (IEM) characterized by peptiduria in humans. We previously reported that knockout of aminopeptidase P1 in mice causes neurodevelopmental disorders and peptiduria. However, little is known about the pathophysiological role of aminopeptidase P1 in the brain. Here, we show that loss of aminopeptidase P1 causes behavioral and neurological deficits in mice. Mice deficient in aminopeptidase P1 (Xpnpep1 ) display abnormally enhanced locomotor activities in both the home cage and open-field box. The aminopeptidase P1 deficiency in mice also resulted in severe impairments in novel-object recognition, the Morris water maze task, and contextual, but not cued, fear memory. These behavioral dysfunctions were accompanied by epileptiform electroencephalogram activity and neurodegeneration in the hippocampus. However, mice with a heterozygous mutation for aminopeptidase P1 (Xpnpep1 ) exhibited normal behaviors and brain structure. These results suggest that loss of aminopeptidase P1 leads to behavioral, cognitive and neurological deficits. This study may provide insight into new pathogenic mechanisms for brain dysfunction related to IEMs.