[#2010-07] Grifola frondosa ( Maitake ) water extract alleviates intestinal inflammation by suppressing TNF-α production and its signaling, Jong Suk Lee et al.

Grifola frondosa ( Maitake ) water extract alleviates intestinal inflammation by suppressing TNF-α production and its signaling

Jong Suk Lee1*, Su-Young Park1*, Dinesh Thapa1, Mi Kyoung Choi1, Ill-Min Chung2, Young-Joon Park3, Chul Soon Yong1, Han Gon Choi1 and Jung-Ae Kim1

1College of Pharmacy Yeungnam University, Korea 2College of Life and Environmental Sciences Konkuk University Seoul, Korea 3Research Center Samil Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. Korea

Abstract  

TNF-α is a major cytokine involved in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In this study, water extract of Grifola frondosa (GFW) was evaluated for its protective effects against colon inflammation through the modu­lation of TNF-α action. In coculture of HT-29 human co­lon cancer cells with U937 human monocytic cells, TNF-α induced monocyte adhesion to HT-29 cells was significantly suppressed by GFW (10, 50, 100 ìg/ml). The reduced adhesion by GFW correlated with the sup­pressed expression of MCP-1 and IL-8, the major IBD-associated chemokines. In addition, treatment with GFW significantly suppressed TNF-α-induced re­active oxygen species production and NF-kB tran­scriptional activity in HT-29 cells. In differentiated U937 monocytic cells, LPS-induced TNF-α production, which is known to be mediated through NF-kB activa­tion, was significantly suppressed by GFW. In an in vivo rat model of IBD, oral administration of GFW for 5 days (1 g/kg per day) significantly inhibited the trinitro­benzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced weight loss, co­lon ulceration, myeloperoxidase activity, and TNF-α expression in the colon tissue. Moreover, the effect of GFW was similar to that of intra-peritoneal injection of 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA), an active metabolite of sulfasalazine, commonly used drug for the treatment of IBD. The results suggest that GFW ameliorates colon inflammation by suppressing production of TNF-α as well as its signaling through NF-kB leading to the ex­pression of inflammatory chemokines, MCP-1 and IL-8. Taken together, the results strongly suggest GFW is a valuable medicinal food for IBD treatment, and thus may be used as an alternative medicine for IBD.