Ethanol Extract of Sargassum siliquastrum Inhibits Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Nitric Oxide Generation by Downregulating the Nuclear Factor-Kappa B Signaling Pathway

Figure 4

SS extract blocks LPS-mediated activation of NF-κB. (a–c) Western blot analyses showing changes in the total and phosphorylated forms of components of NF-κB and AP-1 signaling pathways in cells pretreated with specific inhibitors (a) or the SS extract (SS) (b, c) for 24 h and stimulated with LPS (1 μg/mL) for 30 min. Densitometric analysis was performed using ImageJ software. (d) A reporter gene assay showing regulation of NF-κB transcriptional activity by the SS extract in RAW 264.7 cells stimulated with LPS (1 μg/mL) in the presence or absence of the SS extract for 6 h. The bars represent the mean ± standard deviation (SD); ^∗: , ^∗∗: , and ^∗∗∗: compared with the indicated group. SS, Sargassum siliquastrum; LPS, lipopolysaccharide; NF-κB, nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells; AP-1, activator protein-1.

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