Affiliations: Division of Food Science and Biotechnology, Graduate
School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan. Fax: +81 75
753 6284; E-mail: [email protected]
Note: [] Corresponding author
Abstract: Zerumbone, a sesquiterpene occurring in zingiberaceous plants in
Southeast Asian countries, has been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects in
several independent experimental studies. We examined its effect on the
expression of proinflammatory genes in human colon adenocarcinoma cell lines,
Caco-2, Colo320DM, and HT-29, using reverse transcription-polymerase chain
reaction (RT-PCR) assays. Surprisingly, zerumbone markedly induced the
expression of interleukin (IL)-1α,
IL-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor
(TNF)-α in each cell line in concentration- and
time-dependent manners. Results of a previous pharmacological approach using
specific inhibitors of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) suggested that
the activation of both c-Jun N-terminal kinase and extracellular
signal-regulated protein kinase, however, not that of p38 MAPK, may be involved
in zerumbone-induced IL-1β expression pathways in Caco-2
cells. The present results imply that zerumbone increases the production of
proinflammatory cytokines in cancerous tissues in the colon and that this
biochemical property may cause side-effects.
Journal: BioFactors, vol. 21, no. 1-4, pp. 95-101, 2004
