Wheatgrass Extract Ameliorates Hypoxia-induced Mucin Gene Expression in A549 cells
Ju hwan Sim1, Moon-Hee Choi2, Hyun-Jae Shin2, Ji-Eun Lee2★★ Corresponding author
- 1Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Chosun University College of Medicine, Gwangju, Korea.
- 2Department of Biochemical and Polymer Engineering, Chosun University, Gwangju, Korea.
CORRESPONDENCE
Ji-Eun Lee
Department of Biochemical and Polymer Engineering, Chosun University, Gwangju, Korea.
Received: 30-12-2015; Revised: 14-02-2016; Accepted: 14-02-2016.
Volume 13, Issue 49 · pp. 7–12 · PUBLISHED 6 January 2017 · DOI: 10.4103/0973-1296.197660
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ABSTRACT
Background: Wheatgrass is known to have antioxidant, antiaging, and anti-inflammatory effect. However, its protective effect against hypoxia is not yet evaluated. Objective: In this study, we evaluated the protective and anti-inflammatory effect of wheatgrass against the hypoxia in airway epithelial cells. Materials and Methods: A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cells were incubated in a hypoxic condition (CO2 5%/O2 1%) for 24 hr in the presence of different concentration of wheatgrass 50, 75, 100, and 150 μg/mL, and the magnitude of each immunologic response produced by the A549 cells was compared. The mRNA expression level of mucin gene (MUC), 5A, 5B, 8, GM-CSF, TNF-α, and VEGF were evaluated by using real-time polymerase chain reaction. The MUC proteins level before and after knocking out the hypoxia-inducible factor (hif)-1α via short interfering (si) RNA transfection were assessed by immunoblot analysis. Accordingly, the involved cell signaling pathway was evaluated by immunoblot analysis. Results: The inflammatory cytokines (GM-CSF, TNF- α) and the expressions of MUC 5A, 5B, and 8 were augmented by hypoxia. The augmented MUC expression was decreased by the wheatgrass extract administration. Hif-1α gene expression after hypoxia exposure was decreased by wheatgrass. Knockdown of hif-1α by siRNA reduced the mucin gene expression and which was more enhanced by wheatgrass extract. Conclusion: Theses results suggest that wheatgrass may be useful in the treatment of sinonasal disease by inhibiting mucus hypersecretion in airway epithelium.
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Sim, J. H., Choi, M., Shin, H., & Lee, J. (2017). Wheatgrass Extract Ameliorates Hypoxia-induced Mucin Gene Expression in A549 cells. Pharmacognosy Magazine, 13(49), 7–12. https://doi.org/10.4103/0973-1296.197660