Novel peptides enhance the production of nitric oxide and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) gene expression in murine macrophage.

Bioactive novel polypeptide of anuran skin has a wide range of antimicrobial properties against the infection and tumour cell. Macrophages are known to produce the Nitric oxide (NO) by a variety of cells upon activation. NO produced by the activated macrophages an important mediator for antimicrobial and tumoricidal activity. In-vitro macrophage exposed with medium alone, containing LPS, containing polypepeptides and LPS plus polypeptides for 24 h showed enhanced production of NO with respect to control and LPS treated and significant increase in NO production in LPS plus polypeptide. Western blot and PCR analysis also showed that increased production of protein expression and mRNA expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). These findings suggest that novel polypeptides are potent activating agent for enhanced production of NO through activation of iNOS gene.