Fig. 1

SH inhibited LPS-induced up-regulations of iNOS and COX-2 and the phosphorylation of MAPKs in THP-1 macrophages. (A) THP-1 macrophages produced by treating THP-1 monocytes with PMA, were incubated for 24 h with SH at 0–100 μg/ml. Cell viabilities were determined using an EZ-cytox assay kit. Results are presented as the means ± SDs of percentages determined by three independent experiments versus non-treated controls. (B, C) THP-1 macrophages were co-treated with SH and LPS (1 μg/ml) for 24 h. Relative protein levels of iNOS and COX-2 were determined by western blot. (D, E) Relative gene expression levels of iNOS and COX-2 as determined by Real-time PCR. qPCR data were normalized by dividing Ct values of genes by that of GAPDH. (F) Relative MAPKs expressions as determined by western blot. (G) Band intensities were measured by densitometry and normalized versus the intensities of total forms and β-actin. Results are presented as the means ± SDs of three independent experiments. ^##p < .01 versus PMA-treated controls, and *p < .05, **p < .01 versus LPS-treated macrophages.