Augmentation of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 in LPS-activated J774.1 macrophages – Role of 11β-HSD1 in pro-inflammatory properties in macrophages

Macrophage infiltration in obese adipose tissue provokes local inflammation and insulin resistance. Evidence has accumulated that activation of 11β-HSD1 in adipocytes is critically involved in dysfunction of adipose tissue. However, the potential role of 11β-HSD1 in macrophages still remains unclear. We here demonstrate that a murine macrophage cell line, J774.1 cells expressed 11β-HSD1 mRNA and reductase activity, both of which were augmented by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced cell activation. Three kinds of pharmacological inhibition of 11β-HSD1 in LPS-treated macrophages significantly suppressed the expression and secretion of interleukin 1β, tumor necrosis factor α or monocyte chemoattractant protein 1, thereby highlighting a novel role of 11β-HSD1 in pro-inflammatory properties of activated macrophages.