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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BHNRC) » Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center » Diet, Genomics and Immunology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #203182
Title: Green tea increases the antiinflammatory tristetraprolin and decreases the proinflammatory tumor necrosis factor mRNA levels in rats

Author
item Cao, Heping
item Kelly, Meghan
item KARI, FRANK
item Dawson, Harry
item COVES, SARA
item ROUSSEL, ANNE
item Anderson, Richard

Submitted to: Journal of Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/12/2007
Publication Date: 3/20/2007
Citation: Cao, H., Kelly, M.A., Kari, F., Dawson, H.D., Coves, S., Roussel, A.M., Anderson, R.A. 2007. Green tea increases the antiinflammatory tristetraprolin and decreases the proinflammatory tumor necrosis factor mRNA levels in rats. [abstract]. Journal of Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. 21:358.4.

Interpretive Summary: n/a

Technical Abstract: Tristetraprolin (TTP) family proteins have antiinflammatory activity by binding to and destabilizing proinflammatory mRNAs such as TNF mRNA, and represent a potential therapeutic target for inflammation-related diseases. Tea has antiinflammatory properties but the molecular mechanism has not been elucidated. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to investigate the effects of green tea on the expression of TTP family genes (Zfp36, Zfp36L1, Zfp36L2, Zfp36L3), proinflammatory genes (TNF, GM-CSF, COX-2), and HuR, VEGFa, and VEGFb genes in rats fed a high-fructose diet known to induce insulin resistance. TTP and Zfp36L1, and Zfp3636L2 mRNA levels were more abundant in the liver than those in the muscle. GM-CSF and Zfp36L3 mRNAs were undetectable in either tissue. Tea (1 g solid/kg diet) increased TTP mRNA level by 50-140% but TNF mRNA levels decreased by 30% in both tissues, and COX-2 mRNA levels decreased by 40% in the muscle. Tea (2 g solid/kg diet) increased HuR mRNA levels by 40% in the liver but did not affect any of the other mRNA levels in liver or muscle. These results indicate that tea could modulate TTP mRNA levels in animals and that a posttranscriptional mechanism through TTP could partially account for tea's antiinflammatory properties.