The immunomodulatory properties of Ferula assa-foetida, a perennial herb traditionally used for its anti-inflammatory effects, were investigated in this study, focusing on its influence on NF-κB and STAT1 signaling pathways in GM-CSF-differentiated human macrophages. The extract was prepared using 80% ethanol, and its cytotoxicity was evaluated using the MTT assay, revealing no significant cytotoxic effects at concentrations ranging from 10 to 200 µg/mL. Differentiated macrophages were treated with the extract, and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was employed to assess the expression levels of NF-κB and STAT1 genes. The results demonstrated a dose-dependent downregulation of NF-κB expression by the extract, with significant reductions observed at concentrations of 50 µg/mL and higher. Specifically, NF-κB expression decreased to 0.6719 ± 0.0691-fold at 50 µg/mL (p = 0.0044), 0.3959 ± 0.1170-fold at 100 µg/mL (p = 0.0009), and 0.1650 ± 0.0509-fold at 200 µg/mL (p < 0.0001). In contrast, STAT1 expression remained unaffected across all tested concentrations of the extract, with no statistically significant changes compared to the untreated control group. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), used as a positive control, significantly upregulated both NF-κB and STAT1 expression, confirming the responsiveness of the macrophages to inflammatory stimuli. These findings suggest that the extract selectively modulates NF-κB-dependent inflammatory pathways without broadly affecting STAT1 signaling. The study highlights the potential of F. assa-foetida as a source of bioactive compounds with anti-inflammatory properties. However, further research is needed to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms, identify the active compounds, and validate these effects in vivo.
Abolhasanzadeh Parizi, A. and Lagzian, M. (2024). Immunomodulatory Effects of Ferula assa-foetida Extract on NF-κB and STAT1 Signaling Pathways in GM-CSF-Differentiated Human Macrophages. Journal of Epigenetics, 5(2), 41-52. doi: 10.22111/jep.2024.50612.1077
MLA
Abolhasanzadeh Parizi, A. , and Lagzian, M. . "Immunomodulatory Effects of Ferula assa-foetida Extract on NF-κB and STAT1 Signaling Pathways in GM-CSF-Differentiated Human Macrophages", Journal of Epigenetics, 5, 2, 2024, 41-52. doi: 10.22111/jep.2024.50612.1077
HARVARD
Abolhasanzadeh Parizi, A., Lagzian, M. (2024). 'Immunomodulatory Effects of Ferula assa-foetida Extract on NF-κB and STAT1 Signaling Pathways in GM-CSF-Differentiated Human Macrophages', Journal of Epigenetics, 5(2), pp. 41-52. doi: 10.22111/jep.2024.50612.1077
CHICAGO
A. Abolhasanzadeh Parizi and M. Lagzian, "Immunomodulatory Effects of Ferula assa-foetida Extract on NF-κB and STAT1 Signaling Pathways in GM-CSF-Differentiated Human Macrophages," Journal of Epigenetics, 5 2 (2024): 41-52, doi: 10.22111/jep.2024.50612.1077
VANCOUVER
Abolhasanzadeh Parizi, A., Lagzian, M. Immunomodulatory Effects of Ferula assa-foetida Extract on NF-κB and STAT1 Signaling Pathways in GM-CSF-Differentiated Human Macrophages. Journal of Epigenetics, 2024; 5(2): 41-52. doi: 10.22111/jep.2024.50612.1077
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