Hesperidin inhibits expression of hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha and inflammatory cytokine production from mast cells

The citrus unshiu peel has been used traditionally as a medicine to improve bronchial and asthmatic conditions or cardiac and blood circulation in Korea, China, and Japan. Here, we report the effects of citrus unshiu peel water extract (CPWE) on the phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) + calcium ionophore A23187-induced hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) activation and inflammatory cytokine production from the human mast cell line, HMC-1 cells. We compared CPWE with hesperidin, a common constituent of citrus unshiu. CPWE and hesperidin inhibited the PMA + A23187-induced HIF-1α expression and the subsequent production of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). In addition, CPWE suppressed PMA + A23187-induced phosphorylation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). We also show that the increased cytokines interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α level was significantly inhibited by treatment of CPWE or hesperidin. In the present study, we report that CPWE and hesperidin are inhibitors of HIF-1α and cytokines on the mast cell-mediated inflammatory responses.