본 연구에서는 벼메뚜기 에탄올 추출물의 항염증 효능을 분석하기 위해 LPS로 염증 유도된 RAW 264.7 세포를 이용하였다. OCE의 항염증 효능을 확인 하기 위해서, 염증 유도된 RAW 264.7 세포에 대해 OCE 농도 의존적으로 염증성 사이토카인인 TNF-${alpha}$와 IL-6의 유전자발현 및 단백질 생성을 감소시킴을 real-time PCR과 ELISA로 확인하였다. 또한, NF-${kappa}B$ p65의 핵으로 이동이 차단됨을 면역형광염색으로 확인하였으며, iNOS와 COX-2 단백질 발현을 감소시키는 것을 Western blot 분석으로 확인하였다. 이상의 연구결과를 통해 벼메뚜기는 염증에 의한 NF-${kappa}B$ p65의 활성과 TNF-${alpha}$와 IL-6의 생성과 iNOS 및 COX-2의 발현을 억제하는 항염증 효능을 갖고 있는 것을 확인하였다.
Although the grasshopper Oxya chinensis sinuosa has long been used as food in Korea, there is little data on its functional effects. In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effect of O. c. sinuosa ethanol extract (OCE) in RAW 264.7 mouse macrophage cells treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for induction of inflammation. First, we determined that there is no cytotoxicity at $2,000{mu}g/ml$ or less of OCE in RAW 264.7 cells. To evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of OCE, we investigated expression levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${alpha}$ and interleukin (IL)-6, and pro-inflammatory enzymes such as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2) in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells. In addition, we examined whether OCE could inhibit translocation of NF-${kappa}B$ p65 into the nucleus in LPS induced RAW 264.7 cells. As a result, we found that the mRNA and protein levels of TNF-${alpha}$ and IL-6 decreased in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells after treatment with OCE in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, we confirmed a $2,000{mu}g/ml$ concentration of OCE inhibited translocation of NF-${kappa}B$ p65 by immunnostaining and Western blot analysis, and a decrease in the protein expression levels of iNOS and COX-2. Accordingly, we suppose that OCE has an anti-inflammatory effect through down-regulation of TNF-${alpha}$, IL-6, iNOS, and COX-2 related to ${kappa}B$ p65 inflammatory signaling pathways.
