Dexamethasone protects RAW264.7 macrophages from growth arrest and apoptosis induced by H2O2 through alteration of gene expression patterns and inhibition of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) activity

Toxicology. 2007 Jul 1;236(1-2):16-28. doi: 10.1016/j.tox.2007.03.024. Epub 2007 Apr 4.

Abstract

In this study, the effect of dexamethasone, a synthetic glucocorticoid, on H(2)O(2) stimulated murine RAW264.7 macrophages was investigated. It was found that dexamethasone protected the cells from apoptosis induced by H(2)O(2). A cDNA microarray, which consists of 1000 genes selected from a mouse clone set provided from NIA, was used to study the gene expression profiles involved in the protective effect. Our data show that dexamethasone exerts the anti-apoptosis function by changing the expression patterns of many genes involved inhibiting the up-regulation of apoptosis promoting genes and the down-regulation of cell cycle stimulating genes as well as keeping the up-regulation of cell survival related genes. Our study also revealed that dexamethasone protects RAW264.7 macrophages from H(2)O(2) induced apoptosis through blocking nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) activity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / pharmacology*
  • Apoptosis / drug effects*
  • Cell Cycle / drug effects
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Dexamethasone / pharmacology*
  • Down-Regulation
  • Gene Expression / drug effects
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Hydrogen Peroxide / toxicity*
  • Macrophages
  • Mice
  • NF-kappa B / metabolism
  • Oxidants / toxicity*
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Protective Agents / pharmacology

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • NF-kappa B
  • Oxidants
  • Protective Agents
  • Dexamethasone
  • Hydrogen Peroxide