Emu oil suppresses inflammatory responses of RAW 264 macrophages via inhibition of NF-κB signaling

Emu oil has been shown to alleviate several symptoms of inflammation in animal models, but mechanisms mediating the process are unknown. We investigated the influence of emu oil on the production of inflammatory mediators in the murine macrophage cell line RAW264 to elucidate antiinflammatory mechanisms. Stimulation with a combination of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) increased production of nitric oxide, interleukin 6 and prostaglandin E-2 in RAW264 cells, and emu oil inhibited the increase in these mediators. Western blot analysis showed that emu oil inhibited phosphorylation of the regulatory protein I kappa B-alpha and inhibited NF-kappa B nuclear import induced by LPS and IFN-gamma. These results suggest that emu oil suppresses inflammatory responses of RAW264 by inhibiting NF-kappa B signaling.