Taxifolin Regulates the Gene Expression of MUC5AC Mucin via Affecting IκBα/NF-κB p65 Signaling in Human Airway Epithelial Cells

In this study, we explored the effects of taxifolin, a flavonoid compound, on the expression of the MUC5AC mucin gene in airway epithelial cells. Human pulmonary epithelial NCI-H292 cells were pretreated with taxifolin for 30 min prior to stimulation with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) for 24 h. We also investigated the influence of taxifolin on the PMA-induced activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway. Our results demonstrated that taxifolin inhibited both glycoprotein production and MUC5AC mRNA expression triggered by PMA. This inhibition occurred through the prevention of IκBα degradation and the nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65. These findings suggest that taxifolin suppresses mucin gene expression by modulating the NF-κB signaling pathway in human pulmonary epithelial cells.