Heat shock protein (HSP)60 is primarily a mitochondrial protein. Previous experiments have found that changes in the location of intracellular HSP60 have been associated with apoptosis. Extracellular HSP60 mediates apoptosis via its ligand, Toll‑like receptor (TLR)-4. TLR-4 is an important factor expressed on microglia, with a central role in generating neuroimmune responses in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders. Naloxone is a highly effective nonselective opioid receptor antagonist, and has been reported to be pharmacologically beneficial for the treatment of brain diseases through inhibiting microglia activation. However, the mechanisms underlying these beneficial effects of naloxone remain poorly understood. The present study aimed to investigate the role of HSP60 in the neuroprotective effects of naloxone on the production of proinflammatory mediators in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV2 murine microglial cells and the possible signaling pathways involved. The results demonstrated that naloxone significantly inhibited the expression and release of HSP60 in BV2 cells. The expression levels of heat shock factor (HSF)-1 were upregulated in LPS‑activated BV2 cells, which indicated that the increased expression of HSP60 was driven by HSF-1 activation. However, increased HSF‑1 levels may be downregulated by naloxone. The levels of TLR‑4 were elevated in activated BV2 cells, and then inhibited by naloxone. Activation of TLR‑4 is characterized by activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) followed by the production of various proinflammatory and neurotoxic factors. Data from the present study demonstrated that naloxone reduced the expression levels of NF-κB and its upstream protein caspase‑3, and reduced the LPS-induced production of nitric oxide, inducible nitric oxide synthase, tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin-1β and interleukin-6 in BV2 microglia. In light of this data, it was concluded that naloxone may exert its neuroprotective and anti‑inflammatory effects by inhibiting microglia activation through a HSP60‑TLR‑4‑NF‑κB signaling pathway.

Reactive microglia are present in lesions of myelin-associated white matter disorders resulting in injuries to oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs). Therefore, protection of OPCs from injury due to excessive activation of microglia is important in treating these diseases. Heat shock protein 60 (HSP60) has been demonstrated to be released extracellularly in the failing heart upon stress or injury. However, the role of HSP60 in the central nervous system and whether it participates in the toxic effects of microglia on OPCs remains unclear. The present study used the co-culture, cell death assays, binding assays, immunochemistry, western blot and ELISA. HSP60 was demonstrated to be released extracellularly by LPS-activated microglia and to bind to OPCs, triggering OPC apoptosis. When pretreated with toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 blocking antibody, the viability of OPCs increased, while the expression of nuclear factor κB (NFκB), caspase 3 and the release of proinflammatory cytokines triggered by HSP60 decreased. These results suggest that HSP60 released by microglia may mediate OPC apoptosis through binding to TLR4 on the surface of OPCs and subsequently activating the TLR4-NFκB signaling pathway. HSP60 may, therefore, serve as a potential target for treatment of myelin-associated neurodegenerative diseases that are accompanied by microglia activation.

Curcumin has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and has been widely used to treat or prevent neurodegenerative diseases. However, the mechanisms underlying the neuroprotective effects of curcumin are not well known. In the present study, the effect of curcumin on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV2 mouse microglia cells was investigated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays of the culture medium and western blotting of cell lysates. The results showed that curcumin significantly inhibited the LPS-induced expression and release of heat shock protein 60 (HSP60) in the BV2 cells. The level of heat shock factor (HSF)-1 was upregulated in LPS-activated BV2 microglia, indicating that the increased expression of HSP60 was driven by HSF-1 activation. However, the increased HSF-1 level was downregulated by curcumin. Extracellular HSP60 is a ligand of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4), and the level of the latter was increased in the LPS-activated BV2 microglia and inhibited by curcumin. The activation of TLR-4 is known to be associated with the activation of myeloid differentiation primary response 88 (MyD88) and nuclear factor (NF)-κB, with the subsequent production of proinflammatory and neurotoxic factors. In the present study, curcumin demonstrated marked suppression of the LPS-induced expression of MyD88, NF-κB, caspase-3, inducible nitric oxide synthase, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 in the microglia. These results indicate that curcumin may exert its neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting microglial activation through the HSP60/TLR-4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling wpathway. Therefore, curcumin may be useful for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases that are associated with microglial activation.

Abstract. Oxymatrine (OMT) is an alkaloid extracted from Sophora flavescens, which has broad anti-inflammatory, antitumor and immunosuppressant actions. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms have remained elusive. Heat shock protein 60 (HSP60) has recently been shown to have an important role in autoimmune reactions. The present study aimed to investigate whether OMT exerts its anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting microglial activation and examined the role of HSP60 in this process. Western blot analysis and ELISA showed that OMT decreased the expression and release of HSP60 by LPS-activated BV2 cells. The expression of heat shock factor 1, the transcription factor of HSP60, was also suppressed by OMT. Extracellular HSP60 has been previously indicated to induce microglial apoptosis through the Toll-like receptor (TLR)-4 pathway. Flow cytometric analysis demonstrated that LPS treatment induced apoptosis of BV2 cells, which was inhibited by OMT in parallel with inhibition of LPS-induced expression of TLR-4. Furthermore, OMT was shown to suppress the levels of myeloid differentiation factor (MYD)88, nuclear factor (NF)-κB, caspase-3, inducible nitric oxide synthase, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6. In light of these results, it was concluded that OMT may exert its neuroprotective effects via HSP60/TLR-4/MYD88/NF-κB signaling pathways to inhibit microglial activation. OMT may therefore offer substantial therapeutic potential for treating neurodegenerative diseases associated with microglial activation.

Abstract. Microglial activation has been recognized as being vital in the pathogenesis of several neurodegenerative disorders. Therefore, the identification of therapeutic drugs to prevent microglial activation and thus protect against inflammation-mediated neuronal injury, is required. In the present study, dextromethorphan (DM), a compound widely used in antitussive remedies that has been demonstrated to possess neuroprotective effects, was shown to reduce proinflammatory mediator production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV2 mouse microglial cells. Western blot analysis revealed that DM markedly suppressed the activation of nuclear factor-κB (NFκB), caspase-3 signaling and the expression of another inflammation-inducing factor, heat shock protein 60 (HSP60) and heat shock factor-1, induced by LPS in BV2 cells. Results from ELISA assay demonstrated that DM reduced the release of HSP60, nitric oxide (NO), inducible NO synthase, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 induced by LPS in BV2 microglia. These results were confirmed by immunofluorescence, suggesting that DM may exert a neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effect by inhibiting microglial activation through the HSP60-NFκB signaling pathway. Therefore, DM may offer substantial therapeutic benefits in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases that are accompanied by microglial activation.