Pu-erh tea ameliorates atherosclerosis through reducing NF-κB activation in vitro study

  AIM  To investigate the possible mechanism of Pu-erh tea in reversing atherosclerosis by observing the effects of Pu-erh tea extract on apoptosis/migration, P65/IκB-β gene and protein expression of macrophage RAW264.7.

  METHODS  Grouping: Cells treated with Pu-erh tea extract were divided into groups of 0, 12, 24, 48, 60 and 72 hours; Pu-erh tea extract concentration groups were 0, 1/128, 1/256, 1/512 and 1/1024; TUNEL method was used to detect apoptosis of macrophages; real-time quantitative PCR and Western-blot were used to detect the expression levels of P65 and IκB-β; and Transwell experiment was used to observe cell migration ability.

  RESULTS  ①Pu-erh tea extract promoted apoptosis of macrophages in a time and concentration dependent manner; ②Pu-erh tea extract upregulated the expression of IκB-β in a time and concentration dependent manner; ③ Pu-erh tea extract inhibited the migration rate of macrophages, Bay11-7085 (NF-kappa B activation. Inhibitors) also inhibited macrophage migration; Bay11-7085 and Pu-erh tea extracts co-cultured with cells did not increase the inhibition of cell migration.

  CONCLUSION  Pu-erh tea extract promoted macrophage apoptosis and inhibited its migration through NF-kappa B pathway, which may be the anti-atherosclerosis mechanism of Pu-erh tea extract