Abstract

 The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of parthenolide (PTN) in human renal mesangial cells (HRMCs) under high ambient glucose conditions. First we determined the non-cytotoxic concentration of PTN in HRMCs by performing the MTS assay. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent (ELISA) analysis was performed to determine the expressions of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-18, tumor-necrosis factor (TNF)-α, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1, macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1α, RANTES and prostaglandin (PG)E2. The total nitric oxide (NO) was determined by performing the Griess reaction. Treatment with less than 50 μmol/L PTN concentration did not affect the viability of HRMCs, while more than 100 µmol/L concentrations markedly altered the cell viability. In the present study, treatment with 50 mmol/L glucose markedly increased the level of IL-1β, IL-18, TNF-α, TGF-β1, MCP-1, MIP-1α, RANTES, PGE2 and NO. PTN remarkably abolished the increase in the level of these molecules in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, treatment with PTN concentration of 20 µmol/L almost completely reversed IL-1β and TNF-α expression, and treatment with 50 µmol/L reversed the expression of RANTES. In conclusion, parthenolide can inhibit the high-glucose-induced expression of inflammatory cytokines in HRMCs. Hence, PTN may be considered a promising drug with potent anti-inflammatory effect in addition to its strong anticancer, anti-angiogenesis, and antineurodegenerative effects.

Key words: Parthenolide, human renal mesangial cells, inflammatory factors, diabetic nephropathy.