Immune-Enhancing Effects of Angelica gigas Nakai Extract and Fermented Angelica gigas Nakai Extract via the Activations of MAPK and NF-κB Signaling Pathways in RAW264.7 Cells

Abstract

Angelica gigas Nakai (AGN) is mainly grown in Asia and has been used as a medicinal plant. AGN has been reported to have anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antioxidant, and neuroprotective effects, and to improve cognition. Recently, polysaccharides isolated from AGN and a natural product mixture containing AGN have been shown to have immunostimulatory effects. However, the effect of AGN single extracts has not been explored. Here, we investigated the immune-enhancing effects of whole AGN extract (ANE) in RAW264.7 cells (a mouse macrophage cell line) and examined whether yeast-fermented AGN extracts (FAN) might increase the effects of ANE. When RAW264.7 cells were treated with ANE or FAN, nitric oxide release, inducible nitric oxide synthase mRNA levels, and the mRNA levels of immune-related cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interferon-gamma, interleukin-1 beta, interleukin-2, interleukin-6, and interleukin-12 were increased. Moreover, we found that the upregulation of immune modulators by AGN is associated with the activations of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathways via the phosphorylation of signaling molecules. These results suggest that AGN has the potential to boost the immune system. However, further in vivo studies are needed to confirm the immunostimulatory effects of AGN.