Hexanic lipidosterolic extract of Serenoa repens inhibits the expression of two key inflammatory mediators, MCP-1/CCL2 and VCAM-1, in vitro - Abstract

Pervasive inflammatory infiltrates, mainly composed of chronically activated T cells and monocytes/macrophages, have been observed in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

Permixon®, a hexanic lipidosterolic extract of Serenoa repens (hexanic LSESr) used to treat urinary dysfunction in BPH patients, has anti-inflammatory activities. This paper provides new insights into the anti-inflammatory properties of Permixon®. We report that hexanic LSESr inhibits early steps of leukocyte infiltration in vitro by downregulating MCP-1/CCL2 and VCAM-1 expression.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the mechanisms by which hexanic lipidosterolic extract of Serenoa repens (hexanic LSESr) may prevent leukocyte infiltration in benign prostatic hyperplasia by studying its impact on monocyte chemoattractant protein 1/chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 (MCP-1/CCL2) and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1) expression in vitro.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: After pretreatment with hexanic LSESr, human prostate (epithelial and myofibroblastic) cells and vascular endothelial cells were stimulated with proinflammatory cytokines. MCP-1/CCL2 and VCAM-1 mRNA expression was quantified by real-time PCR. ELISA kits were used to determine MCP-1/CCL2 levels in culture supernatants and VCAM-1 expression in living cells.

RESULTS: Hexanic LSESr reduced MCP-1/CCL2 mRNA levels in both epithelial (BPH-1) and myofibroblastic (WPMY-1) prostate cell lines. Hexanic LSESr downregulated MCP1/CCL2 secretion by WPMY-1 cells in a concentration-dependent manner, more efficiently than Serenoa repens extracts obtained by supercritical carbon dioxide extraction. Hexanic LSESr inhibited tumour-necrosis-factor-α-induced MCP-1/CCL2 secretion by the human vascular endothelial cell line EAhy.926, as well as surface VCAM-1 protein expression, in a concentration-dependent manner.

CONCLUSIONS: Hexanic LSESr impedes key steps of monocyte and T cell attraction and adherence by inhibiting MCP-1/CCL2 and VCAM-1 expression by human prostate and vascular cells in an inflammatory environment. These findings provide new insights into the anti-inflammatory effects of the hexanic lipidosterolic extract of Serenoa repens, Permixon®, in benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Written by:
Latil A, Libon C, Templier M, Junquero D, Lantoine-Adam F, Nguyen T.   Are you the author?
Laboratoire Microbiotechnologies, Institut de Recherche Pierre Fabre, Toulouse, France.

Reference: BJU Int. 2012 Sep;110(6 Pt B):E301-7.
doi: 10.1111/j.1464-410X.2012.11144.x


PubMed Abstract
PMID: 22520557

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