Andrographolide, the major bioactive component of Andrographis paniculata, has been demonstrated to have various biological properties including anti-inflammation, antioxidation, and anti-hepatotoxicity. Oxidative stress is considered a major risk factor in aging, inflammation, cancer, atherosclerosis, and diabetes mellitus. NADPH oxidase is a major source of endogenous reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this study, we used EA.hy926 endothelial-like cells to explore the anti-inflammatory activity of andrographolide. Andrographolide attenuated TNFα-induced ROS generation, Src phosphorylation, membrane translocation of the NADPH oxidase subunits p47(phox) and p67(phox), and ICAM-1 gene expression. In the small hairpin RNA interference assay, shp47(phox) abolished TNFα-induced p65 nuclear translocation, ICAM-1 gene expression, and adhesion of HL-60 cells. Andrographolide induced the gene expression of heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) and glutamate cysteine ligase modifier subunit (GCLM) in a time-dependent manner. Cellular glutathione (GSH) content was increased by andrographolide. shGCLM attenuated the andrographolide-induced increase in GSH content and reversed the andrographolide inhibition of HL-60 adhesion. shHO-1 showed a similar effect on andrographolide inhibition of HL-60 adhesion to shGCLM. The mechanism underlying the up-regulation of HO-1 and GCLM by andrographolide was dependent on the PI3K/Akt pathway, and both the Nrf2 and AP-1 transcriptional factors were involved. Our results suggest that andrographolide attenuates TNFα-induced ICAM-1 expression at least partially through suppression of NADPH oxidase activation and induction of HO-1 and GCLM expression, which is PI3K/Akt pathway-dependent.
