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Updated: Jul 3, 2025
Using RNA-interference to Investigate the Innate Immune Response in Mouse Macrophages
Published on: November 3, 2014
Molecular mechanisms of macrophage immunomodulation mediated by Areca inflorescence polysaccharides based on RNA-seq
Di Chen1, Zonghua Kang2, Haiming Chen3
1Hainan University-HSF/LWL Collaborative Innovation Laboratory, School of Food Science and Engineering, Hainan University, Haikou, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China.
Abstract:
The elucidation of the immunomodulatory molecular mechanisms of polysaccharides has contributed to their further development and application. In this study, the effect of Areca inflorescence polysaccharide (AFP2a) on macrophage activation was confirmed and the detailed mechanisms were investigated based on a comprehensive transcriptional study and specific inhibitors. The results showed that AFP2a induced macrophage activation (M1 polarization), promoting macrophage proliferation, reactive oxygen species production, nitric oxide and cytokine release, and costimulatory molecule expression. RNA-seq analysis identified 5919 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). For DEGs, GO, KEGG, and Reactome enrichment analyses and PPI networks were conducted, elucidating that AFP2a activated macrophages mainly by triggering the Toll-like receptor cascade and corresponding adapter proteins (TIRAP and TRIF), thereby resulting in downstream NF-κB, TNF, and JAK-STAT signaling pathway expression. The inhibition assay revealed that TLR4 and TLR2 were essential for the recognition of AFP2a. This work provides an in-depth understanding of the immunoregulatory mechanism of AFP2a while offering a molecular basis for AFP2a to serve as a potential natural immunomodulator.
