Protection of palmitic acid treatment in RAW264.7 cells and BALB/c mice during 544 infection.

Background: We previously elucidated the protective mechanism of Korean red ginseng oil (RGO) against infection, and our phytochemical analysis revealed that palmitic acid (PA) was an abundant component of RGO. Consequently, we investigated the contribution of PA against .

Objectives: We aimed to investigate the efficacy of PA against infection using a murine cell line and a murine model.

Methods: Cell viability, bactericidal, internalization, and intracellular replication, western blot, nitric oxide (NO), and superoxide (O₂⁻) analyses and flow cytometry were performed to determine the effects of PA on the progression of infection in macrophages. Flow cytometry for cytokine analysis of serum samples and bacterial counts from the spleens were performed to determine the effect of PA in a mouse model.

Results: PA did not affect the growth of . PA treatment in macrophages did not change uptake but it did attenuate the intracellular survivability of . Incubation of cells with PA resulted in a modest increase in sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) expression. Compared to control cells, reduced nitrite accumulation, augmented O₂⁻, and enhanced pro-inflammatory cytokine production were observed in PA-treated -infected cells. Mice orally treated with PA displayed a decreased serum interleukin-10 level and enhanced bacterial resistance.

Conclusions: Our results suggest that PA participates in the control of within murine macrophages, and the study results confirm its efficacy against the infection. However, further investigations are encouraged to completely characterize the mechanisms involved in the inhibition of infection by fatty acids.