Ursolic acid protects monocytes against metabolic stress-induced priming and dysfunction by preventing the induction of Nox4.

ABSTRACT:

Aims

Dietary supplementation with ursolic acid (UA) prevents monocyte dysfunction in diabetic mice and protects mice against atherosclerosis and loss of renal function. The goal of this study was to determine the molecular mechanism by which UA prevents monocyte dysfunction induced by metabolic stress.

Methods and results

Metabolic stress sensitizes or "primes" human THP-1 monocytes and murine peritoneal macrophages to the chemoattractant MCP-1, converting these cells into a hyper-chemotactic phenotype. UA protected THP-1 monocytes and peritoneal macrophages against metabolic priming and prevented their hyper-reactivity to MCP-1. UA blocked the metabolic stress-induced increase in global protein-S-glutathionylation, a measure of cellular thiol oxidative stress, and normalize

SUBMITTER: Ullevig SL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3909821 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature