Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 13, 2026

Isolation Protocol of Mouse Monocyte-derived Dendritic Cells and Their Subsequent In Vitro Activation with Tumor Immune Complexes
Published on: May 31, 2018
Ursolic acid enhances nitric oxide and tumor necrosis factor-alpha production via nuclear factor-kappaB activation in
1Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Chosun University, Kwangju, South Korea.
Abstract:
Ursolic acid (UA), a pentacyclic triterpene acid, is reported to have anti-tumor activities; however, the mechanism underlying its anti-tumorigenic effects is poorly understood. To further determine the mechanism of UA, we investigated the effects of UA on the release of nitric oxide (NO) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and on the level of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and TNF-alpha gene expression in mouse resting macrophages. We found that UA elicited a dose-dependent increase in NO and TNF-alpha production, and the level of iNOS and TNF-alpha mRNA. Transient expression and electrophoretic mobility shift assays with nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) binding sites revealed that the increased level of iNOS mRNA and TNF-alpha mRNA induced by UA were mediated by the NF-kappaB transcription factor complex. These results demonstrate that UA stimulates NO and TNF-alpha release and is able to upregulate iNOS and TNF-alpha expression through NF-kappaB transactivation in the resting macrophages.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
NF-κB-dependent Signaling Pathway
NF-κB-dependent Signaling Mechanism
The heterodimer of NF-κB...
Nitric Oxide Signaling Pathway

