3,3'-Diindolylmethane inhibits lipopolysaccharide-induced microglial hyperactivation and attenuates brain inflammation.

Recent studies have revealed that microglial hyperactivation and neuroinflammation are implicated in development and progression of neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we examined the beneficial effects of 3,3'-diindolylmethane (DIM) and indole-3-carbinol (I3C), dietary components found in cruciferous vegetables, on brain inflammation. DIM, a major metabolite of I3C, suppressed lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 in BV-2 microglia, but I3C did not. DIM, but not I3C, attenuated DNA-binding activity of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and phosphorylation of inhibitor of κB, suggesting that DIM might inhibit microglial hyperactivation by attenuating inflammatory transcription factor NF-κB. In addition, DIM, but not I3C, protected primary cortical neurons from inflammatory toxicity induced by the conditioned media from LPS-stimulated BV-2 microglia, indicating that DIM might attenuate microglial hyperactivation-mediated neuronal death. In an in vivo model of neuroinflammation, DIM suppressed LPS-induced brain inflammation in mouse hippocampus, as determined by the number of Iba-1-positive cells and the mRNA expression of F4/80. Taken together, these results suggest that DIM may have beneficial potential against brain inflammation and neurodegenerative diseases through the negative regulation of the NF-κB signal pathway in microglia.