Fig. 2.

Telmisartan (Telm) inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced pro-inflammatory responses in human monocytes. Human monocytes were pre-incubated for 2 h with vehicle (DMSO) or Telm and subsequently exposed to 50 ng/ml LPS. (a) Expression of pro-inflammatory marker mRNA 2 h after LPS addition. (b) Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) protein expression and cumulative prostaglandin E2 (PGE₂) release in monocytes exposed to LPS for 24 h as determined by western blot and EIA, respectively. COX-2 protein expression was determined by western blot and quantified by densitometry. Values are presented as percentage of DMSO-treated group, as means ± SEM from at least three independent experiments. ***P<0.001 vs. DMSO; ^#P<0.05 vs. LPS. Picture shows a representative western blot. (c) Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was determined by dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate probe oxidation in monocytes pretreated with vehicle or 10 μmol/l Telm and then exposed to LPS for 2 h. (d) Cell migration assay was performed on THP-1 monocytic cells pretreated with vehicle or 10 μmol/l Telm and subsequently stimulated with 100 ng/ml monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) for 4 h. Results are means ± SEM from at least three independent experiments. **P<0.01 vs. DMSO; ***P<0.001 vs. DMSO; ^#P<0.05 vs. LPS; ^##P<0.01 vs. LPS; ^###P<0.001 vs. LPS or MCP-1. ICAM-1, intercellular adhesion molecule 1; LOX-1, lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1.