Mechanisms Ofartemisia Scoparia'S Anti-Inflammatory Activity In Cultured Adipocytes, Macrophages, And Pancreatic Beta-Cells

Objective An ethanolic extract ofArtemisia scoparia(SCO) improves adipose tissue function and reduces negative metabolic consequences of high-fat feeding.A. scopariahas a long history of medicinal use across Asia and has anti-inflammatory effects in various cell types and disease models. The objective of the current study was to investigate SCO's effects on inflammation in cells relevant to metabolic health. Methods Inflammatory responses were assayed in cultured adipocytes, macrophages, and insulinoma cells by quantitative polymerase chain reaction, immunoblotting, and NF-kappa B reporter assays. Results In tumor necrosis factor alpha-treated adipocytes, SCO mitigated ERK and NF-kappa B signaling as well as transcriptional responses but had no effect on fatty acid-binding protein 4 secretion. SCO also reduced levels of deleted in breast cancer 1 protein in adipocytes and inhibited inflammatory gene expression in stimulated macrophages. Finally, in pancreatic beta-cells, SCO decreased NF-kappa B-responsive promoter activity induced by IL-1 beta treatment. Conclusions SCO's ability to promote adipocyte development and function is thought to mediate its insulin-sensitizing actionsin vivo. Our findings that SCO inhibits inflammatory responses through at least two distinct signaling pathways (ERK and NF-kappa B) in three cell types known to contribute to metabolic disease reveal that SCO may act more broadly than previously thought to improve metabolic health.