Curcumin alleviates macrophage activation and lung inflammation induced by influenza virus infection through inhibiting the NF‐κB signaling pathway

Abstract

BackgroundInfluenza A viruses (IAV) result in severe public health problems with worldwide each year. Overresponse of immune system to IAV infection leads to complications, and ultimately causing morbidity and mortality.ObjectiveCurcumin has been reported to have anti‐inflammatory ability. However, its molecular mechanism in immune responses remains unclear.MethodsWe detected the pro‐inflammatory cytokine secretion and nuclear factor kappa‐light‐chain‐enhancer of activated B cell (NF‐κB)‐related protein expression in human macrophages or mice infected by IAV with or without curcumin treatment.ResultsWe found that the IAV infection caused a dramatic enhancement of pro‐inflammatory cytokine productions of human macrophages and mice immune cells. However, curcumin treatment after IAV infection downregulated these cytokines production in a dose‐dependent manner. Moreover, the NF‐κB has been activated in human macrophages after IAV infection, while administration of curcumin inhibited NF‐κB signaling pathway via promoting the expression of nuclear factor of kappa light polypeptide gene enhancer in B‐cells inhibitor, alpha (IκBα), and inhibiting the translocation of p65 from cytoplasm to nucleus.ConclusionsIn summary, IAV infection could result in the inflammatory responses of immune cells, especially macrophages. Curcumin has the therapeutic potentials to relieve these inflammatory responses through inhibiting the NF‐κB signaling pathway.

Immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects of curcumin

“…In line with this study, Amano et al showed that liposomes containing curcumin could suppress the macrophages in mice in a selective manner (24). A pathway through which curcumin may exert its suppressive effects on macrophages has been suggested to be NF-κB signaling pathway as it has been observed that this compound diminishes macrophage activation and influenza virus induced-lung inflammation by inhibiting NF-κB pathway (25). Not only curcumin could affect the proliferation and oxidative function of macrophages, but also it can influence their polarization via inhibiting TLR4-mediated pathway.…”

Therapeutic effects of curcumin on sepsis and mechanisms of action: A systematic review of preclinical studies

“…Previous studies have shown that excessive immune responses (dysregulated immune response) to counteract pathogens produce a wide range of inflammatory and anti‐inflammatory mediators to deal with pathogenic agents that lead to tissue damage, organ failure, and death during sepsis (Kakihana, Ito, Nakahara, Yamaguchi, & Yasuda, ). Curcumin has strong inhibitory effects on proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF‐α, IL‐6, and IL‐1 (Arshad, Haque, Abbas Bukhari, & Jantan, ), and moreover, curcumin decreases the expression of cyclooxygenase (COX‐2), inducible NO synthase, the activation of p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinases (Camacho‐Barquero et al, ), NF‐κB (Xu & Liu, ), and AP‐1 (Gupta et al, ). NF‐κB plays a main role in modulation of innate and adaptive immune response by controlling the transcription of cytokines such as IL‐2, IL‐1, and interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ) (Okunieff et al, ; Park et al, ).…”

“…Curcumin has strong inhibitory effects on proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1 (Arshad, Haque, Abbas Bukhari, & Jantan, 2017), and moreover, curcumin decreases the expression of cyclooxygenase (COX-2), inducible NO synthase, the activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (Camacho-Barquero et al, 2007), NF-κB (Xu & Liu, 2017), and AP-1 (Gupta et al, 2011). NF-κB plays a main role in modulation of innate and adaptive immune response by controlling the transcription of cytokines such as IL-2, IL-1, and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) (Okunieff et al, 2006;Park et al, 2007).…”

The Inhibitory Effect of Curcumin on Virus-Induced Cytokine Storm and Its Potential Use in the Associated Severe Pneumonia

“…It has been documented that curcumin blocks NF-κB signaling upon infection with Influenza A virus (IAV) as a consequence of AMPK activation (Han et al, 2018). Fourth, curcumin acts on p65 to disturb the NF-κB pathway (Xu and Liu, 2017). Infection with IAV led to a decrease of p65 in the cytosol of macrophages and a corresponding increase in the nucleus, where it forms a functional complex with NF-κB, ultimately upregulating transcription of pro-inflammatory cytokines.…”