Figure 5
Effects of simvastatin and dLGG on activities and expression levels of lipid mediator-related proteins in the liver of septic mice and in LPS-stimulated macrophages. (A) The enzymatic activities of 5-LOX were determined in the presence of indicated concentrations of dLGG or simvastatin. (B) Western blot analyses of cellular proteins from LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages treated with specific MAPK inhibitors or with dLGG at specific concentrations without causing cell toxicity. Representative blots are shown and densitometric analysis was used to quantify and compare results. (C) Western blot analyses for phospholipid release and oxidation-related proteins (cPLA2, CYP450, sEH, 5-LOX) from liver homogenates from the different treatment groups. Representative blots are shown and densitometric analysis was used to quantify and compare results. Phosphorylation ratio of cPLA2, p38 and MEK 1/2 to their original forms of protein among treatment groups in (B) and (C) are compared. Statistically significant fold-change increase or decrease compared with the protein expression levels of the vehicle control are marked by letters (N = 4, P < 0.05, ANOVA, post hoc LSD; values with different letters are significantly different).