Suppression of phorbol ester-induced NF-κB activation by capsaicin in cultured human promyelocytic leukemia cells

Seong Su Han, Young Sam Keum, Kyung Soo Chun, Young Joon Surh

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

44 Scopus citations

Abstract

Capsaicin, a major pungent constituent of red pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) possesses a vast variety of pharmacologic and physiologic activities. Despite its irritant properties, the compound exerts anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive effects. Previous studies from this laboratory revealed that capsaicin, when topically applied onto dorsal skin of female ICR mice, strongly attenuated activation of NF-κB and AP-1 induced by the typical tumor promoter, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), which may account for its anti-tumor promoting activity in mouse skin. In the present work, we have found that capsaicin suppresses TPA-stimulated activation of NF-κB through inhibition of IκBα degradation and blockade of subsequent nuclear translocation of p65 in human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells. Methylation of the phenolic hydroxyl group of capsaicin abolished its inhibitory effect on NF-κB DNA binding. Likewise, TPA-induced activation of AP-1 was mitigated by capsaicin treatment.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)475-479
Number of pages5
JournalArchives of Pharmacal Research
Volume25
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 2002

Keywords

  • Activator protein-1 (AP-1)
  • Capsaicin
  • HL-60 cells
  • NF-κB
  • TPA

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