A research group led by Professor Huang Qing from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has discovered a novel mechanism through which astaxanthin (AST) can influence IL-6, thereby mitigating the negative inflammatory responses in macrophages triggered by lipopolysaccharides (LPS).
The findings from this study have been documented in the journal Food & Function.
Astaxanthin is recognised as a naturally occurring compound noted for its potent antioxidant properties. Recent investigations suggest that it possesses anti-inflammatory qualities, although the exact pathways through which it operates have not been entirely determined until now. In the current study, the researchers employed macrophages derived from human monocytic leukaemia cells (THP-1) and used lipopolysaccharides as the inflammatory stimulus to explore how astaxanthin achieves its anti-inflammatory effects.
The research revealed that astaxanthin treatment markedly reduces oxidative stress induced by LPS, enhances cellular repair mechanisms, and diminishes damage from inflammatory cytokines. This is achieved primarily by significantly inhibiting the translocation and activation of NF-κB, stimulating p53, and suppressing STAT3. Further experiments and analysis helped the team ascertain that astaxanthin directly interacts with IL-6. This interaction disrupts the cyclical inflammatory responses and could potentially prevent severe inflammatory reactions known as ‘inflammatory storms’.
These findings underscore the potential of astaxanthin’s direct interaction with IL-6. This interaction disrupts the positive feedback loop of inflammatory agents, potentially preventing the severe inflammatory reactions known as ‘inflammatory storms ‘.
Wu Yahui, a key member of the team, highlighted the practical implications of their findings. He stated, “Our study provides a solid foundation for the use of astaxanthin as a dietary supplement with potential anti-inflammatory or immunomodulatory functions.”
More information: Yahui Wu et al, Astaxanthin targets IL-6 and alleviates the LPS-induced adverse inflammatory response of macrophages, Food & Function. DOI: 10.1039/d4fo00610k
Journal information: Food & Function Provided by Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, The Chinese Academy of Sciences
