Figure 8.

Liquiritin (LQ) reduces LPS-induced mRNA increase of CXCL1 expression in primary cultured astrocytes. (A) Astrocytes were treated with indicated concentrations (1, 50, 100, 150, and 200 μm) of LQ and assessed using MTT assay. The control cells were treated with DMSO (F_5,30 = 0.1567, P > 0.05 vs. control; n = 6, one way ANOVA, A). (B) LPS stimulated astrocytes were exposed to LQ (1, 50, 100, 150, and 200 μm) and assessed using MTT assay (F_6,35 = 19.61, ^***P < 0.001 vs. control; n = 6, one way ANOVA, 8B). (C–E) Double staining of CXCL1 with GFAP showed the CXCL1 expression by astrocytes. Scale bar = 50 μm (F) LPS (1 μg/ml) dramatically increased CXCL1 mRNA expression in primary astrocytes at 0.5, 1, 3 and 6 h (F_4,15 = 24, ^**P < 0.01,^***P < 0.001 vs. control; n = 4, one way ANOVA, F). (G, H) LPS-induced CXCL1 upregulation was decreased by treatment with LQ (F_4,15 = 25.2,^***P < 0.001 vs. naïve, ^#P < 0.05, ^##P < 0.01,^###P < 0.001 vs. control; F_4,15 = 83.49, ^***P < 0.001 vs. naïve, ^#P < 0.05, ^###P < 0.001 vs. control; n = 4, one way ANOVA, 8G, H). All data are presented as means ± SEM.