Mung bean (Vigna Radiata) has been traditionally used in China both as nutritional food and herbal medicine against a number of inflammatory conditions since the 1050s. A nucleosomal
protein,
HMGB1, has recently been established as a late mediator of lethal systemic
inflammation with a relatively wider therapeutic window for pharmacological interventions. Here we explored the HMGB1-inhibiting capacity and therapeutic potential of mung bean coat (MBC) extract in vitro and in vivo. We found that MBC extract dose-dependently attenuated LPS-induced release of
HMGB1 and several
chemokines in macrophage cultures.
Oral administration of MBC extract significantly increased animal survival rates from 29.4% (in saline group, N = 17 mice) to 70% (in experimental MBC extract group, N = 17 mice, P < 0.05). In vitro, MBC extract stimulated
HMGB1 protein aggregation and facilitated both the formation of microtubule-associatedprotein-1-light-chain-3-(LC3-)containing cytoplasmic vesicles, and the production of LC3-II in macrophage cultures. Consequently, MBC extract treatment led to reduction of cellular
HMGB1 levels in macrophage cultures, which was impaired by coaddition of two autophagy inhibitors (
bafilomycin A1 and 3-methyladenine). Conclusion. MBC extract is protective against lethal
sepsis possibly by stimulating autophagic
HMGB1 degradation.