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Wogonin suppresses TARC expression induced by mite antigen via heme oxygenase 1 in human keratinocytes. Suppressive effect of wogonin on mite antigen-induced TARC expression.

Lee BS, Shim SM, Heo J, Pae HO, Seo BY, Han SY, Sohn DH, Jang SI, Chung HT

Medicinal Resources Research Institute, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Wonkwang University School of Medicine, Iksan, Chonbuk 570-749, South Korea.

BACKGROUND: Mite antigen, extract from Dermatophagoides farinae in house dust, is a well-known causative agent of atopy or allergic diseases, which involves many inflammatory cytokines/chemokines expression. Heme oxygenase 1 (HO1) has recently emerged as an important cytoprotective enzyme against oxidative stress and inflammatory responses in many cell types. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the possible mechanism by which wogonin, a natural product isolated from Scutellaria baicalensis, inhibited the mite antigen-induced chemokine expression in human keratinocytes, HaCaT cells. METHODS: The level of chemokine expression was measured by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and signaling study was performed by Western blot analysis. RESULTS: The mite antigen-induced thymus- and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC/CCL17) expression in a dose-dependent manner via extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activation. However, it did not affect the expression of other chemokines including macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC/CCL22), RANTES, and IL-8. Interestingly, wogonin significantly suppressed the mite antigen-induced TARC expression via the induction of HO1. This suppression was completely restored by HO1 siRNA, suggesting a direct role of HO1 for the suppressive effect. Furthermore, exogenous CO, but not other end products of HO1 activity, also suppressed the mite antigen-induced TARC expression. CONCLUSION: Wogonin induces HO1 expression, which in turn HO1 and/or CO suppresses TARC expression induced by mite antigen in human HaCaT cells.

Published 12 March 2007 in J Dermatol Sci, 46(1): 31-40.
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