Immunomodulatory Effects of Pterocarpanquinone LQB-118 in Murine Peritoneal Macrophages

Phagocytosis is an important function of macrophages. However, when it's dysregulated, it could compromise homeostasis. Thus, this study aimed to assess the inhibitory activity of pterocarpanquinone LQB 118 on murine macrophage phagocytosis. We used peritoneal macrophages isolated from mice to evaluate the impact of LQB 118 (5 μM) on the modulation of phagocytic activity and possible action mechanism related: IL-12 (by ELISA), NO (by Griess reaction),ROS production (by flow cytometry), and intracellular signaling proteins (iNOS, P-Akt, P-mTOR, NF-κB, and P-NF-κB) (by flow cytometry).The macrophages were stimulated with zymosan to assess both phagocytic activity and flow cytometry assays. Treatment with LQB 118 resulted in a reduction in the phagocytosis of zymosan particles by macrophages. This effect could potentially be attributed to LQB's inhibition of IL-12 production and mTOR/NF-κB signaling. Furthermore, LQB 118 decreased the levels of ROS and NO without interfering with iNOS and Akt activation. These findings show the anti-phagocytic activity of LQB 118 on macrophage, highlighting the potential of this compound as a candidate for modulating macrophage-driven inflammation.