Proteomic response of LAP-activated RAW 264.7 macrophages to the anti-inflammatory property of fungal ergosterol

Ergosterol is the principal fungal sterol in edible mushrooms and yeast lees in wine. In this study, the immunoregulatory action of ergosterol was evaluated by a proteomic approach using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis to identify proteins with modified expression in LPS-challenged RAW 264.7 macrophages treated with ergosterol. By comparing the proteome signatures, alterations of multiple proteins were observed, including NF-κB cascade-related proteins, Rho family GTPase protein, and cytoskeleton-related proteins. The down-regulation of NF-κB cascade-associated proteins coincided with the inhibition of TNF-α production and COX-2 expression in the ergosterol-treated RAW 264.7 cells. Western blotting analysis indicated that ergosterol inhibits LPS-induced inflammation in RAW 264.7 macrophages by suppressing the NF-κB signalling pathway.