Involvement of heme oxygenase-1 in kaempferol-induced anti-allergic actions in RBL-2H3 cells.

Kaempferol is one of the most commonly found dietary flavonoids. The exposure to kaempferol is known to inhibit degranulation from mast cells, but the inhibitory mechanism of degranulation has not been clarified yet. In this study, we investigated the involvement of heme oxygenase (HO)-1 in the anti-allergic action of kaempferol against degranulation in rat basophilic leukemia (RBL-2H3) cells. Our results demonstrate upregulation of HO enzymatic activity after short (15 min) exposure to kaempferol, followed by the induction of HO-1 expression in protein. The involvement of HO-1 in the kaempferol-induced inhibition of degranulation was confirmed using tin protoporphyrin IX (SnPP), a HO-1 inhibitor. These findings strongly suggest that kaempferol exerts anti-allergic actions via activation of the HO-1.