Abstract
Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) has been suggested to be a key neuroprotective enzyme because of its widespread distribution in the brain as well as its strong antioxidative effects. HX106N, a water-soluble botanical formulation, has previously been demonstrated to prevent amyloid β-induced memory impairment and oxidative stress in mice by upregulating HO-1 levels. In this study, the underlying molecular mechanisms of HX106N-induced HO-1 expression were investigated using BV-2 cells, a murine microglial cell line, and primary microglia. Treatment with HX106N induced the expression of HO-1 at the transcriptional level through the stress-responsive element-containing enhancer present in the ho-1 promoter. Nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) was activated in cells treated with HX106N. The results from knockdown assay showed that small interfering RNA of Nrf2 attenuated HX106N-mediated HO-1 expression. Pharmacological inhibitors of p38 and JNK mitogen-activated protein kinases suppressed the HX106N-mediated induction of HO-1. The NF-κB signaling pathway was activated by HX106N and played a role in HX106N-induced HO-1 expression. Furthermore, HO-1 and one of its by-products during the enzymatic degradation of heme, CO, were found to be involved in HX106N-mediated suppression of NO production. Taken together, these data indicate that HX106N exerts potent antioxidative effects by increasing the expression of HO-1 through multiple signaling pathways, leading to the suppression of NO production.