Soyasaponin Ab may represent a viable candidate for effective vaccine adjuvant, TLR4 receptor dependent pathway may be involved in immune stimulatory effects of soyasaponin Ab.

Soyasaponin Ab inhibited colon shortening, myeloperoxidase activity, the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and activation of the transcription factor nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB). Soyasaponin Ab (1, 2, 5, and 10 μM) inhibited the production of NO (IC(50) = 1.6 ± 0.1 μM) and prostaglandin E(2) (IC(50) = 2.0 ± 0.1 ng/mL), the expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α± (IC(50) = 1.3 ± 0.1 ng/mL), interleukin (IL)-1β (IC(50) = 1.5 ± 0.1 pg/mL), and toll-like receptor (TLR)4, and the phosphorylation of interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase (IRAK)-1 in LPS-stimulated peritoneal macrophages. Soyasaponin Ab weakly inhibited the phosphorylation of ERK, JNK, and p38. Soyasaponin Ab significantly reduced the binding of Alexa-Fluor-594-conjugated LPS to peritoneal macrophages. Soyasaponin Ab did not affect TLR4 expression or LPS-induced NF-κB activation in TLR4 siRNA-treated peritoneal macrophages (knockdown efficiency of TLR4 > 94%).