As expected, LPS triggered up-regulation of IL-12p40 and TNF-α, which was strongly inhibited by n-butyrate. Additionally, we confirmed these results on the protein level (data not shown). Gene expression was analysed at two different time-points (2·5 and 6 hr) after treatment Sotrastaurin with LPS (100 ng/ml) alone or in combination with n-butyrate (1 mm). As gene regulation was qualitatively similar after 2·5 and 6 hr and differed only with regard to the extent of expression, subsequent results are shown only for the longer stimulation period. Treatment with LPS ± n-butyrate

using the indicated concentrations had no influence on cell viability (data not shown). According to our GSK2118436 mouse results, 88% of genes were found to be expressed

in monocytes at detectable levels. Compared with untreated cells, 37/27% of genes (donor A/donor B, respectively) were modulated by n-butyrate alone on the mRNA level with at least twofold change in their expression, 27/17% of which were up-regulated and 10/10% were down-regulated upon n-butyrate treatment. Existence of n-butyrate-unresponsive genes, in turn, argues for specific interference of n-butyrate with particular signalling pathway(s). The top 10 up-regulated genes were PLCD1, ADRB1, PTGS2/COX-2, PDE4B, IRF8, PARD6A, CREB3L4, PIK3R2, GNA11 and MYL9 (up-regulated in the range of 6·0-fold to 19·3-fold) and the top 10 down-regulated genes were PLA2G7, FN1, FAS, IL10, PPARG, PTGER3, ACE, CTLA4, ANXA3 and ACACA (down-regulated in the range of 0·02-fold to 0·32-fold). Furthermore, n-butyrate, when combined with LPS, Niclosamide was able to modulate the LPS-triggered response in monocytes. Hence, after 6 hr of treatment, expression

levels of 31/29% of genes (donor A/donor B) were enhanced and of 15/17% were down-regulated. For these treatment conditions, PIK3R2, CD86, LTA4H, ADRB1, LTB4R2, PIK3CD, IRF8, LIF, PLCD1, PTGS2 and ANXA1 were among the most up-regulated (in the range of 7·6-fold to 28·2-fold) and PLA2G7, ACE, FASLG, ANXA3, BCL2L1, HPGD, PTGER3, PPARG and MAP2K6 were among the most down-regulated (in the range of 0·02-fold to 0·21-fold). Hence, enhanced expression of some genes (e.g. PLCD1) was modulated by the action of n-butyrate alone, whereas for other genes (e.g CD86, LTA4H, PTGS2) an additive effect between LPS and n-butyrate was detected; PLA2G7 was found to be the most deregulated. As each gene might function as an integration point for multiple intracellular signals leading in turn to a wide variety of cellular processes, we used ipa software to delineate the n-butyrate-affected pathways. Here, data analysis revealed prostanoid and leukotriene biosynthetic pathways being among the most affected in human monocytes.