Berberine regulates polarization of macrophages:a mechanistic study based on PI3K/Akt1 signaling pathway
Chen Yushan
Wang Tingting
Meng Zhonghua
Shang Shasha
Zheng Junmeng
Zong Yonghua
Si Chunying
Liang Yazhou
Guan Huaimin
Abstract：Objective To explore the effect and possible mechanism of berberine on the macro-phage polarization of human myeloid leukemia monocytic cell line THP-1 induced by oxidized low-density lipoprotein(ox-LDL).Methods THP-1 cells were induced into macrophages by PMA,and then according to different concentrations of berberine,the cells were divided into con-trol group,and 5,10,20,40 and 50 μmol/L berberine groups.After intervention for 24 or 48 h,CCK8 assay was used to detect cell viability for optimal concentration and time of berberine treat-ment.PMA-induced THP-1 macrophages were assigned into blank group,model group(ox-LDL),berberine group,inhibitor group(phosphatidyl inositol 3-kinase(PI3K)inhibitor LY294002)and berberine+inhibitor group(berberine+LY294002).The contents of inducible nitric oxide syn-thase(iNOS)and TGF-β1 were detected by ELISA.qPCR was employed to measure the mRNA expression of TNF-α,arginase 1(Arg1),PI3K and protein kinase B Akt1,and Western blotting was applied to detect the protein levels of Akt1 and phosphorylated protein kinase B antibody(p-Akt1).Results In 24 h after intervention,the macrophage activity was significantly lower in the 40 and 50 μmol/L berberine groups than the control group(P＜0.05),and after 48 h,the ac-tivity in all the 5 doses of berberine groups was obviously lower than that in the control group[(0.89±0.02)％,(0.82±0.03)％,(0.71±0.02)％,(0.62±0.03)％and(0.53±0.02)％vs(1.01±0.01)％,P＜0.05].Berberine treatment of 20 μmol/L for 24 h had little effect on cell viability,and the dose and the time were regarded as the best concentration and time.Compared with the blank group,iNOS content and TNF-α mRNA level were increased in the model group,while TGF-β1 content,mRNA levels of Arg1,PI3K and Akt1,and p-Akt1/Akt1 protein levels were de-creased(P＜0.05).iNOS content and TNF-α mRNA level were decreased,while TGF-β1 content,mRNA levels of Arg1,PI3K and Akt1 and protein levels of p-Akt1/Akt1s were increased in the berberine group than the model group(P＜0.05).Compared with the berberine group,iNOS con-tent and TNF-α mRNA level were increased,while mRNA levels of Arg1,PI3K and Akt1 and protein levels of p-Akt1/Akt1 were decreased in the berberine+inhibitor group(P＜0.05).Con-clusion Berberine can inhibit the inflammatory response of THP-1 macrophages induced by ox-LDL by activating PI3K/Akt1 pathway,and inhibit the M1 polarization and promote the M2 polarization of macrophages.
Keywords：berberinelipoproteinsLDLmacrophagesphosphatidylinositol 3-kinasesPI3K/Akt1 signaling pathway
Publication Date：2024-06-15
Online Publishing Date：2025-08-15(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：5( 694-698 )