N-Stearoylethanolamine suppresses the pro-inflammatory cytokines production by inhibition of NF-κB translocation

•N-Stearoylethanolamine reduces IL-1 and IL-6 production in leukemic cells (L1210)•N-Stearoylethanolamine decreases IL-1 content in the medium of peritoneal macrophages stimulated by LPS.•N-Stearoylethanolamine normalizes TNF-α level in the serum of rats with obesity-induced insulin resistance.•N-Stearoylethanolamine inhibits nuclear NF-κB translocation in peritoneal macrophages isolated from insulin resistant rats. N-Stearoylethanolamine (NSE) is a minor lipid that belongs to the N-Acylethanolamines family that mediates a wide range of biological processes. This study investigates the mechanisms of anti-inflammatory action of NSE on different model systems. Namely, we estimated the effect of NSE on inflammatory cytokines mRNA level (leukemia cells L1210), cytokines content (serum and LPS-stimulated macrophages) and nuclear translocation of NF-κB (peritoneal macrophages LPS-stimulated and isolated from rats with obesity-induced insulin resistance). The results indicated that NSE dose-dependently inhibits the IL-1 and IL-6 mRNA level in L1210 cells. Furthermore, the NSE treatment triggered a normalization of serum TNF-α level in insulin resistant rats and a reduction of medium IL-1 level in LPS-activated peritoneal macrophages. These NSE's effects were associated with the inhibition of nuclear NF-κB translocation in rat peritoneal macrophages.