Suppressive effects of E3330, a novel quinone derivative, on tumor necrosis factor-α generation from monocytes and macrophages

E3330 {(2E)-3-[5-(2,3-dimethoxy-6-methyl-1,4-benzoquinoyl)]-2-nonly-2-propenoic acid}, a novel synthesized hepatoprotective compound, has suppressive effects on tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) generation from monocytes/macrophagesin vitro. E3330 (1–100 μM) reduced lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 10 mg/ml or 1μg/ml)-induced TNF-α generation from rat resident andPropionibacterium acnes (P. acnes)-elicited peritoneal macrophages, rat and human monocytes, rat Kupffer cells, and splenic mononuclear cells in a concentration-dependent manner. E3330 also (1–100 μM) suppressed TNF-α generation stimulated with egg-albumin immune complex in ratP. acnes-elicited peritoneal macrophages. Northern blot analysis showed that LPS-induced expression of TNF-α messenger RNA (mRNA) in human blood monocytes was suppressed by E3330. These findings indicate that E3330 has a suppressive effect on TNF-α generation from monocytes/macrophages, regardless of origin or species, and this effect is based in part on the suppression of TNF-α mRNA expression.