Triptolide did not affect 3T3-L1 adipocytes or raw264.7 macrophages viability. To evaluate the cytotoxic effects of triptolide on 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes or raw264.7 macrophages, cells were incubated with various concentration (0.005, 0.010, 0.020 and 0.040 µM) for 24 h. As compared with control cells that received no treatment, cells were treated with triptolide at concentrations up to 0.040 µ M showed viability more than 90% (Fig. 1A), suggesting that triptolide is safe and non-toxic at doses up to 0.040 µ M in both of 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes and RAW 264.7 macrophages. To investigate the effect of triptolide on hypertrophied 3T3-L1 adipocytes that accumulated large lipid droplets, cells were incubated with or without triptolide (0.040 µM) for 24 h, then they were fixed with formalin and stained using oil red O. There was not significant difference in Oil Red O staining between the two group cells (Fig. 1B), suggesting that triptolide did not affect 3T3-L1 adipocytes growth and fat accumulation storage.
Triptolide inhibited inflammatory chemokines and cytokines production in LPS stimulated 3T3-L1 adipocytes or RAW 264.7 macrophages
To evaluate the anti-inflammatory actions of triptolide on 3T3-L1 adipocytes, the effects on inflammatory mediators were analyzed. We examined the effect of triptolide on the production of inflammatory cytokines in 3T3-L1 adipocytes or RAW 264.7 macrophages in response to LPS, a stimulus that induces the production of MCP-1, RANTES, EOTAXIN, GM-CSF, IL-6, KC and TNFα in immune cells. Production of MCP-1, RANTES, IL-6, and TNFα in LPS stimulated raw 264.7 macrophages were reduced by triptolide at highest concentration (0.040 µ M), when secretion of GM-CSF exhibited a dose-dependent decrease with triptolide (0.005,0.010,0.020,0.040µM) (Fig. 2). Expression of EOTAXIN and KC was not repressed by triptolide at any concentration. In LPS stimulated 3T3-L1 adipocytes, triptolide showed a dose-dependent decrease of RANTES, MCP-1, KC and EOTAXIN, when the expression of GM-CSF, IL-6 and TNFα was low and undetectable in 3T3-L1 adipocytes (Fig. 3).
Triptolide inhibited inflammatory chemokines and cytokines production in conditioned Medium (CM) stimulated 3T3-L1 adipocytes or RAW 264.7 macrophages In order to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect of triptolide in obesity-related environment, raw264.7 cells were cultured in 50% Ad-CM medium when 3T3-L1 cells were cultured in 50% Ma-CM medium. Secretion of RANTES, MCP-1 and KC was lower by triptolide (0.005,0.010,0.020,0.040µM) in Ad-CM stimulated raw 264.7 macrophages(Fig. 4). Triptolide treatments showed a dose-dependent decrease in TNFα secretion and secretion of EOTAXIN was diminished by triptolide at only two concentrations (0.005,0.040µM) (Fig. 4).
Expression of GM-CSF and IL-6 was unable to detected Significant differences between the groups in Ad-CM stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Productions of RANTES, MCP-1, KC and EOTAXIN in Ma-CM stimulated 3T3-L1 adipocytes had a significant decrease at concentrations of (0.005,0.010, 0.020, 0.040µM) triptolide (Fig. 5).
Triptolide inhibited inflammatory chemokines and cytokines production in macrophages stimulated 3T3-L1 adipocytes Potential mediators of the interactions between 3T3-L1 adipocytes and RAW 264.7 macrophages were evaluated using a transwell co-culture system. When both cell types were present, secretion of MCP-1 and KC was obviously pared all concentrations of triptolide when production of RANTES and EOTAXIN was lessened at only two concentrations (0.005,0.040µM) (Fig. 6).
Triptolide suppresses the activity of AMPKα/mTOR pathway in Inflammatory adipocytes We next analyzed the relationship between triptolide and AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway in (Ma-CM) -treated or LPS-induced 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Activation of AMPKα, mTOR and 4EBP1 was assessed by measuring the levels of expression and phosphorylation of these proteins (Fig. 7 and Fig. 8). Compared with the control group, we found that treatment of Ma-CM for 24 h obviously increased pAMPKα (Thr172) and p4EBP1(Ser65) protein expression in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, when the expression of 4EBP1 and pmTOR (Ser2448) was reduced. We also observed that LPS enhanced AMPKα, pAMPKα (Thr172), p4EBP1(Ser65) and inhibited 4EBP1 and pmTOR (Ser2448) protein expression. 3T3-L1 adipocytes were
Incubated with triptolide (0.005,0.010,0.020,0.040µM) for 24 h. The western blot assay (Fig. 7) showed triptolide at highest concentration (0.040 µ M) increased expression level of 4EBP1, pmTOR (Ser2448) and p4EBP1 (Ser65), while triptolide at higher concentration (0.020 µ M) decreased expression level of pAMPKα (Thr172). The enhancement effects were found of triptolide at low concentration (0.005,0.010 µ M) on 4EBP1 and pmTOR (Ser2448) protein expression, while inhibition effect of triptolide (0.010 µ M) was discovered on pAMPKα (Thr172) protein expression (Fig. 7). Triptolide (0.040 µ M) treatment suppressed AMPKα, pAMPKα (Thr172), 4EBP1 and p4EBP1 (Ser65)
while raised pmTOR (Ser2448) protein expression in LPS-induced 3T3-L1 adipocytes (Fig. 8). The expression levels of pAMPKα (Thr172) protein were significantly diminished by triptolide (0.050,0.020 µ M) and 4EBP1 protein expression was increased by triptolide (0.050,0.010 µ M) (Fig. 8).