Silibinin Regulates Gene Expression, Production and Secretion of Mucin from Cultured Airway Epithelial Cells

Abstract

We investigated whether silibinin significantly affects gene expression, production and secretion of mucin from cultured airway epithelial cells. Confluent NCI-H292 cells were pretreated with silibinin for 30 min and then stimulated with epidermal growth factor (EGF), phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) or TNF-α for 24 h. The MUC5AC mucin gene expression and mucin protein production were measured by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The effect of silibinin on TNF-α-induced activation of NF-κB p65 was also examined. Confluent primary rat tracheal surface epithelial (RTSE) cells were pretreated with adenosine triphosphate (ATP) for 5 min and then treated for 30 min in the presence of silibinin to assess the effect on mucin secretion using ELISA. The results were as follows: (i) silibinin inhibited the expression of the MUC5AC mucin gene induced by EGF, PMA or TNF-α from NCI-H292 cells; (ii) silibinin also inhibited the production of MUC5AC mucin protein induced by the same inducers from NCI-H292 cells; (iii) silibinin inhibited the activation of NF-κB p65 by TNF-α in NCI-H292 cells; (iv) silibinin significantly decreased ATP-induced mucin secretion from cultured RTSE cells. This result suggests that silibinin can regulate gene expression, production and secretion of mucin by directly acting on airway epithelial cells.

Silybin reduces obliterated retinal capillaries in experimental diabetic retinopathy in rats

“…Recent studies also demonstrated that silybin possessed anti-inflammatory properties (Al-Anati et al, 2009;Chittezhath et al, 2008;Giorgi et al, 2012;Gu et al, 2007;Kim et al, 2012;Prabu and Muthumani, 2012;Salamone et al, 2012;Youn et al, 2013). Therefore, silybin might be a suitable protective agent for early diabetic retinopathy.…”

Dioscin and methylprotodioscin isolated from the root of Asparagus cochinchinensis suppressed the gene expression and production of airway MUC5AC mucin induced by phorbol ester and growth factor

“…PMA can also induce MUC5AC gene expression in NCI-H292 cells (Kim et al 2012). PMA activates a type of PKC isoforms.…”

“…Therefore, we suggest it is valuable to find the possible activity of controlling (inhibiting) the excessive mucin secretion (production) by various medicinal plants. We investigated the activities of some natural products derived from several medicinal plants on mucin production and/or secretion from airway epithelial cells (Heo et al 2007(Heo et al , 2009Lee et al 2011;Kim et al 2012). According to traditional oriental medicine, the root of Asparagus cochinchinensis (Lour.)…”

Emerging potential of natural products for targeting mucins for therapy against inflammation and cancer

“…Silibinin attenuated EGF, PMA or TNF-α induced expression of the MUC5AC at the transcript and protein levels in NCI-H292 cells. Further, silibinin resulted in a significant reduction of ATP-induced mucin secretion in cultured rat tracheal surface epithelial (RTSE) cells [121]. Transcription factor Cdx2, has been shown to directly bind MUC2 and MUC4 promoters and upregulate their expression [122, 123].…”