AUTHOR=Li Wenju , Luo Fulong , Wu Xiaohui , Fan Bei , Yang Mingran , Zhong Wu , Guan Dongyan , Wang Fengzhong , Wang Qiong 

TITLE=Anti-Inflammatory Effects and Mechanisms of Dandelion in RAW264.7 Macrophages and Zebrafish Larvae

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Pharmacology

VOLUME=Volume 13 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2022.906927

DOI=10.3389/fphar.2022.906927

ISSN=1663-9812

ABSTRACT=Dandelions (Taraxacum spp.) play an important role in the treatment of inflammatory diseases. In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of Dandelion Extract (DE) on LPS-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages and copper sulfate (CuSO4)-induced zebrafish larvae. DE at 75 μg/mL was not toxic to RAW264.7 cells as detected by cell viability assay and inhibited LPS-induced cell morphological changes in inverted microscopy analysis. DE at 25 μg/mL had no toxicity to zebrafish larvae in survival observation. DE reduced the production of nitric oxide (NO) in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells by enzymatic standard assay. DE reduced LPS-induced ROS production and apoptosis in RAW264.7 cells in fluorescence microscopy detection. Furthermore, DE reduced CuSO4-induced ROS production and neutrophil aggregation in zebrafish larvae. Flow cytometry results showed that DE relieved the LPS-induced cell cycle arrest. RT-PCR showed that DE decreased the expression levels of M1 phenotypic genes iNOS, IL-6 and IL-1β, DE increased the phenotypic conversion levels of M2 phenotypic genes IL-10 and CD206 in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells. In addition, DE reduced the expression levels of iNOS, TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-10 in CuSO4-induced zebrafish larvae. Collectively, the results of this study suggest that DE reduces the LPS-induced inflammatory response by regulating the polarization and apoptosis in RAW264.7 cells, DE also reduces the CuSO4-induced inflammatory response in zebrafish larvae.