Aim: To investigate the effect of Gentiana veitchiorum particles on the expression of TNF-α in pulmonary alveolar macrophages (AM) which induced by LPS, to explain the mechanism about anti-inflammatory action of Gentiana veitchiorum particles.
Methods: Purification of rat AM, TNF-α level in AM culture supernatant was detected by ELISA. Western blot method for detecting the expression of TNF-α and pERK in the AM. While application of ERK antagonist (PD98059) in rat AM and the expression of TNF-α was observed by Western blot.
Results: Gentiana veitchiorum particles can reduce the LPS induced AM TNF-α increase in dose dependent manner. Gentiana veitchiorum particles (100 mg/L) can significantly reduce the LPS induced pERK and TNF-α protein expression in AM. compared with LPS stimulation group, we found that ERK inhibitor (PD98059 30 mol/L), Gentiana veitchiorum particles intervention and Gentiana veitchiorum particles+PD98059 groups' TNF-α expression were significantly reduced in rat AM.
Conclusion: Gentiana veitchiorum particles can inhibit the LPS induced pulmonary AM TNF-α expression, one of the possible mechanism is to inhibit the extracellular signal transduction pathway.