Fig 3. Cinnamon metabolite sodium benzoate (NaB) reduces the production of ROS and the activation of p21^rac in microglia.

A) BV-2 microglial cells pretreated with 500 μM NaB in the presence of different intermediates of the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway for 6 h were stimulated with 1 μg/ml LPS for 15 min followed by measuring the levels of superoxide in cells. Results are mean ± SD of three different experiments. ^ap < 0.001 vs control; ^bp < 0.001 vs LPS; ^cp < 0.001 vs (LPS+NaB). B) Cells pretreated with different concentrations of geranylgeranyl transferase inhibitor (GGTI) for 30 min were stimulated with LPS for 15 min followed by measuring the levels of superoxide in cells. ^ap < 0.001 vs control; ^bp < 0.01 vs LPS. C) Cells were stimulated with LPS under serum-free condition for different time periods followed by monitoring the activation of p21^rac. D) Bands were scanned and presented as relative to control (0 min). ^ap < 0.001 vs control. E) Inhibition of LPS-induced activation of p21^rac by NaB, but not NaFO. F) Bands were scanned and presented as relative to control. ^ap < 0.001 vs control; ^bp < 0.001 vs LPS.