Abstract
After binding to lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-binding protein, LPS is transferred to CD14 and then to the MD2—Toll-like receptor 4 complex, which results in the progression of sepsis. We investigated how 3,4-methylenedioxyphenol (sesamol), an inexpensive natural product in sesame seeds, affects the binding of LPS and LPS-binding protein and the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Sesamol: (i) dose-dependently inhibited LPS from binding to LPS binding protein; (ii) significantly decreased the release of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β in LPS-challenged peritoneal macrophages in medium and in the serum of LPS-challenged rats; and (iii) significantly reduced the mortality rate in mice given a lethal dose of LPS. We hypothesize that sesamol blocks LPS from binding to LPS-binding protein and inhibits the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, both of which are associated with a decrease of mortality in endotoxemia.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
