Comparative effectiveness of 4 natural and chemical activators of Nrf2 on inflammation, oxidative stress, macrophage polarization, and bactericidal activity in an in vitro macrophage infection model.

Inflammation plays a crucial role in the defense response of the innate immune system against pathogen infection. In this study, we selected 4 compounds for their potential or proven anti-inflammatory and/or anti-microbial properties to test on our in vitro model of bacteria-infected THP-1-derived macrophages. We first compared the capacity of sulforaphane (SFN), wogonin (WG), oltipraz (OTZ), and dimethyl fumarate (DMF) to induce the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), a key regulator of the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory response pathways.

Sulforaphane reduces intracellular survival of Staphylococcus aureus in macrophages through inhibition of JNK and p38 MAPK‑induced inflammation.

Macrophages are active contributors to the innate immune defense system. As macrophage activation is clearly affected by the surrounding microenvironment, the present study investigated the effect of sulforaphane (SFN) on the bactericidal activity of macrophages and the underlying molecular mechanisms involved in this process. Human THP‑1‑derived macrophages, primary human peripheral blood mononuclear cell‑derived macrophages, and primary mouse bone marrow derived‑macrophages (BMDMs) pretreated with SFN or DMSO were utilized in a model of Staphylococcus aureus infection.