Structurally Distinct Nurr1 Ligands Exhibit Different Pharmacological Characteristics in Regulating Inflammatory Responses of Microglial BV-2 Cells

Nurr1 (NR4A2) is a member of nuclear receptor superfamily that regulates gene transcription in midbrain dopaminergic neurons and also inhibits nuclear factor-κB-mediated inflammatory responses in brain microglial cells. To date, various compounds have been reported to stimulate transcriptional activity of Nurr1 on neuronal genes, but their anti-inflammatory actions are poorly characterized. The present study examined the effects of three kinds of Nurr1 ligands, amodiaquine, 1,1-bis(3'-indolyl)-1-(p-chlorophenyl)-methane (C-DIM12) and 5-chloronaphthalen-1-amine (5-CNA), on inflammatory responses of microglial BV-2 cells. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced upregulation of interleukin-1β mRNA and tumor necrosis factor α mRNA was inhibited by all three compounds, whereas upregulation of interleukin-6 mRNA and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA was significantly inhibited only by 5-CNA. On the other hand, LPS-induced nuclear translocation of p65 subunit of nuclear factor-κB was prevented only by amodiaquine. C-DIM12 increased nuclear localization of Nurr1 and transiently upregulated Nurr1 protein expression, whereas amodiaquine and 5-CNA had no effect on these parameters. Notably, inhibitory effect of 5-CNA on iNOS mRNA upregulation was reversed by co-application of amodiaquine. Conversely, inhibitory effect of amodiaquine on p65 nuclear translocation was cancelled by 5-CNA. These results reveal distinct characteristics of anti-inflammatory actions of Nurr1 ligands.