Falcarindiol impairs the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase by abrogating the activation of IKK and JAK in rat primary astrocytes.

The effects of falcarindiol on the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) induced by lipopolysaccharide/interferon-gamma (LPS/IFN-gamma) in rat primary astrocytes were investigated. The molecular mechanisms underlying falcarindiol that confers its effect on iNOS expression were also elucidated. Falcarindiol abrogated the LPS/IFN-gamma-mediated induction of iNOS by about 80%. Falcarindiol attenuated the induction of iNOS in a concentration-dependent manner. The inhibitory effect of falcarindiol on iNOS induction was attributable to decrease in the protein content and the mRNA level of iNOS. Treatment with 50 microM of falcarindiol for 30 min decreased LPS/IFN-gamma-induced nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) activation by 32%. Treatment with 50 microM of falcarindiol for 60 min diminished the LPS/IFN-gamma-mediated activation of IkappaB kinase-alpha (IKK-alpha) and IKK-beta by 28.2 and 29.7%, respectively. Falcarindiol modulated the nuclear translocation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (Stat1) in a time-dependent manner. Falcarindiol (50 microM) decreased the tyrosine phosphorylation of janus kinase 1 (JAK1) by 84.8% at 5 min. Falcarindiol also abrogated the tyrosine phoshorylation of JAK2 by 82.3% at 10 min.The present study demonstrates that falcarindiol attenuated the activation of IKK and JAK contributing to the blockade of activation of NF-kappaB and Stat1, thereby leading to the suppression of iNOS expression.