Black Wolfberry Anthocyanins Inhibits Apoptosis of Mouse Macrophage RAW264.7 through JNK Pathway

PurposeTo study the effect of anthocyanins from Qinghai-Tibet Plateau black wolfberry on the apoptosis of mouse macrophages RAW264.7 and related molecular mechanisms.

MethodScanning electron microscopy, DAPI and Hoechst staining, flow cytometry, RT-qPCR, and Western-blot were used to detect the effects of different mass concentrations of black wolfberry anthocyanins on the cell morphology, apoptosis rate, the influence of mRNA and protein expression of JNK signaling pathway and related factors, after 24 hours induction on mouse macrophage.

ResultThere was no obvious apoptotic morphology after 24 hours of anthocyanin-induced cells, and the number of cells increased, and the apoptosis rate was extremely significantly reduced (P<0.01). As the mass concentration of black wolfberry anthocyanins increased, Caspase-3 mRNA and the protein expression decreased, the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 mRNA expression decreased, and the mRNA and p-JNK protein expression of JNK pathway factor JNK decreased in a dose-dependent manner. The JNK inhibitor group could significantly reduce the mRNA (P<0.05) and p-JNK protein expression of JNK pathway factor JNK (P<0.01); compared with the JNK inhibitor group, the anthocyanin+SP600125 group could significantly reduce the mRNA (P<0.05) and p-JNK protein expression of the JNK pathway factor JNK (P<0.01).

ConclusionThe black wolfberry anthocyanin maybe inhibit the apoptosis of mouse macrophages RAW264.7 through the JNK pathway to play an immunomodulatory effect.