The new cardioprotector Monohydroxyethylrutoside protects against doxorubicin-induced inflammatory effects in vitro

Besides its cardiotoxic effect, doxorubicin also elicits inflammatory effects in vivo. 7-Monohydroxyethylrutoside (monoHER) has recently been used as a protector against doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in vivo. It is not known yet whether monoHER can also protect against doxorubicin-induced inflammatory effects. The aim of the present study was (1) to illustrate the inflammatory effects of doxorubicin in vitro and (2) to evaluate a possibly protective effect of monoHER. In order to demonstrate the inflammatory effects of doxorubicin and the possible protection of monoHER, proliferating human umbilical cord vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs) were incubated with different concentrations of doxorubicin ranging from 12.5 to 600 nM with(out) 200 micro M monoHER. Resting (confluent) HUVECs were incubated with (0.5-25 micro M) doxorubicin with(out) monoHER (0.2-1.2 mM) and the viability of endothelial cells and their propensity to adhere to neutrophils were measured 24 h after treatment. The localisation of adhered neutrophils was determined with immunofluorescence microscopy. To further characterise the mechanism of doxorubicin-induced neutrophil adhesion, the expression of the HUVECs surface adhesion molecules was determined after doxorubicin treatment. Doxorubicin decreased the viability and proliferation capacity of HUVECs in a concentration-dependent manner. The proliferating HUVECs were much more sensitive to doxorubicin (IC(50)=60.0+/-20.8 nM) than resting cells (LC(50)=4.0+/-0.3 micro M). Doxorubicin also increased the adhesion of neutrophils reaching a plateau value at a doxorubicin concentration of > or =0.4 micro M (P=0.0113). The induced neutrophil adhesion was accompanied by overexpression of VCAM and E-selectin but not ICAM. Although monoHER did not reverse the effect of doxorubicin on the proliferation of endothelial cells, it significantly protected resting HUVECs against the cytotoxic effect of doxorubicin (< or =25 micro M, P<0.0015). In addition, monoHER completely protected against the stimulatory effect of doxorubicin on neutrophil adhesion, and inhibited the doxorubin-induced expression of VCAM and E-selectin on the surface of treated HUVECs. This study illustrates that monoHER, which protects against doxorubicin's cardiotoxic effect, can also protect against doxorubicin-induced inflammatory effects. These data prompt further investigation about the possible link between doxorubicin-induced inflammatory effects and its cardiotoxicity in vivo.     

灵芝多糖对肿瘤细胞与内皮细胞相互作用的影响

目的研究灵芝多糖(GlPS)抗肿瘤作用及其机制。方法通过相差显微镜和间接免疫荧光的方法鉴定了人脐静脉内皮细胞(HUVECs)。采用MTT法检测GlPS对人前列腺癌细胞(PC-3M)和HUVECs增殖的影响。检测GlPS对PC-3M细胞与HUVECs粘附的影响。采用transwell双层小室观察GlPS对PC-3M迁移穿过单层HUVECs的影响。结果GlPS对PC-3M无直接细胞毒作用,对HUVECs增殖无显著性作用。GlPS能够减少粘附和迁移穿过单层内皮细胞的肿瘤细胞数目。结论灵芝多糖通过抑制肿瘤细胞粘附并迁移穿过内皮细胞发挥其抗肿瘤作用。     

细胞稳定钙离子内流抑制剂羧基胺基咪唑抑制人肝癌诱导的血管形成

目的　观察细胞稳定钙离子内流抑制剂羧基胺基咪唑（ＣＡＩ） 抑制内皮细胞构建新生血管和人肝癌诱导血管形成的作用。方法　应用ＭＴＴ、Ｂｏｙｄｅｎ 培养皿和人工基质，研究ＣＡＩ对人脐静脉内皮细胞（ＨＵＶＥＣ）增殖、迁移、降解基质和构建血管能力的影响，利用ＬＣＩＤ２０ 瘤株裸鼠角膜模型观察ＣＡＩ对人肝癌诱导血管形成能力的影响。结果　ＣＡＩ的浓度超过１０ ｍｍｏｌ／Ｌ 时，内皮细胞的增殖明显抑制；与对照组相比，ＣＡＩ组细胞的迁移、降解基质和构建血管的能力下降（ Ｐ＜ ０．０５）；２ μｌ ＣＡＩ（１００μｍｏｌ／Ｌ）软膏动物涂眼，每日２ 次，ＣＡＩ组动物角膜新生血管的数目和长度分别小于和短于对照组（ Ｐ＜０．０５）。结论　ＣＡＩ能够明显抑制内皮细胞构建新生血管和人肝癌诱导的血管形成。     

前胡甲素通过PPARα抑制LPS诱导的内皮细胞的炎症反应

目的探讨前胡甲素(Pd-Ia)对脂多糖(lipopolysaccha-ride,LPS)诱导的内皮细胞中细胞因子表达的影响及其作用机制。方法体外培养人脐静脉内皮细胞(HUVECs),用1mg·L-1LPS和不同浓度的Pd-Ia(10,20,40μmol·L-1)孵育24 h,采用荧光实时定量PCR检测TNF-α、IL-1β、PPARs(过氧化物酶体增殖激活受体)的表达。进一步在HUVECs中采用siRNA干扰PPARα后观察Pd-Ia的抗炎效应的变化。结果①Pd-Ia可以抑制LPS诱导的内皮细胞中TNF-α、IL-1β的表达。②Pd-Ia选择性上调LPS诱导的内皮细胞中PPAR-α的表达,而对PPAR-β、PPAR-γ的表达没有影响。③采用了siRNA特异性沉默PPARα后,Pd-Ia对TNF-α、IL-1β的下调作用被一定程度的逆转。结论 Pd-Ia对LPS诱导的内皮炎症反应有抑制作用,其机制与激活PPARα有关。     

抗肿瘤多肽AP25体外活性研究

目的研究抗肿瘤多肽AP25的体外活性。方法通过MTT实验、细胞迁移实验、管状结构形成实验检测AP25体外活性。结果 AP25对HUVEC、MGC-803、HeLa、HCT116、MDA-MB-231细胞增殖均有明显的抑制作用,对HU-VEC细胞迁移和管状结构形成有明显的抑制作用。结论AP25主要通过抑制内皮细胞的增殖、迁移和管状结构形成,来抑制肿瘤新生血管的生成,进而发挥其抗肿瘤活性,同时AP25也具有直接抑制肿瘤细胞生长的活性。     

梓葛冻干粉针剂对人脐静脉内皮细胞体外缺血再灌注模型损伤的保护作用

目的:研究中药单体组方梓葛冻干粉针剂对人脐静脉内皮细胞(HUVECs)体外缺血再灌注模型损伤的保护作用。方法:体外培养HUVECs,采用氧糖剥夺(Krebs液)方法建立缺氧-复氧模型以模拟体内缺血再灌注损伤。分为正常组、模型组、尼莫地平组、梓葛低、中、高剂量组,复氧时正常组及模型组给予生理盐水,余组给予相应的药物干预后,测定细胞活力、细胞内超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性、丙二醛(MDA)含量、一氧化氮(NO)含量、细胞外乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)释放量;分析细胞凋亡相关蛋白Bcl-2、Bax、Caspase-3的表达。结果:与正常组相比,模型组A值、SOD活性显著性降低(P<0.05);MDA和NO含量以及LDH释放量均显著性升高(P<0.05),Caspase-3和Bax蛋白表达显著升高,Bcl-2蛋白表达显著下降,Bcl-2/Bax显著降低(P<0.01)。与模型组比较,梓葛低剂量组A值显著升高(P<0.05);梓葛低、中剂量组MDA和LDH含量显著降低(P<0.05),Bcl-2蛋白表达水平显著升高(P<0.05,P<0.01);梓葛低剂量组NO含量显著降低(P<0.05);梓葛冻干粉针剂的各剂量组SOD活性均显著提高(P<0.05),Bax蛋白水平显著降低(P<0.05,P<0.01),Bcl-2/Bax均显著提高(P<0.05,P<0.01);梓葛中、高剂量组Caspase-3蛋白表达水平显著降低(P<0.01)。结论:梓葛冻干粉针剂可显著拮抗缺氧-复氧对人脐静脉内皮细胞的损伤,其机制与抑制细胞自由基的产生、提高抗氧化能力及调节凋亡相关蛋白表达密切相关。     

Kudzu root: traditional uses and potential medicinal benefits in diabetes and cardiovascular diseases

Kudzu root (Gegen in Chinese) is the dried root of Pueraria lobata (Willd.) Ohwi, a semi-woody, perennial and leguminous vine native to South East Asia. It is often used interchangeably in traditional Chinese medicine with thomson kudzu root (Fengen in Chinese), the dried root of P. thomsonii, although the Chinese Pharmacopoeia has separated them into two monographs since the 2005 edition. For more than 2000 years, kudzu root has been used as a herbal medicine for the treatment of fever, acute dysentery, diarrhoea, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Both English and Chinese literatures on the traditional applications, phytochemistry, pharmacological activities, toxicology, quality control and potential interactions with conventional drugs of both species have been included in the present review. Over seventy phytochemicals have been identified in kudzu root, with isoflavonoids and triterpenoids as the major constituents. Isoflavonoids, in particular puerarin, have been used in most of the pharmacological studies. Animal and cellular studies have provided support for the traditional uses of kudzu root on cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and endocrine systems, including diabetes and its complications. Further studies to define the active phytochemical compositions, quality standards and clinical efficacy are warranted. Strong interdisciplinary collaboration to bridge the gap between traditional medicine and modern biomedical medicine is therefore needed for the development of kudzu root as an effective medicine for the management of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.     

Astragaloside IV inhibits PMA-induced EPCR shedding through MAPKs and PKC pathway

Astragaloside IV (AS-IV), a main active substance isolated from Astragalus membranaceus Bunge, has been shown to have multiple pharmacological effects. Endothelial cell protein C receptor (EPCR) is a marker of inflammation, and is also a major member of protein C (PC) anti-coagulation system. EPCR can be cut off from the cell surface by tumor necrosis factor-α converting enzyme (TACE), which is controlled through mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and protein kinase C (PKC) pathways. To develop novel therapeutic drug for EPCR shedding, the effect of AS-IV was studied in phorbol-12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-induced human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and the potential molecular mechanism of AS-IV action was investigated. The results showed that AS-IV could significantly inhibit PMA-induced EPCR shedding. In further study, AS-IV suppressed the expression and activity of TACE. In addition, AS-IV could decrease the phosphorylation of MAPK such as janus kinase (JNK) and p38, and inhibit activation of PKC through the prevention of non-phosphorylation and phosphorylation of specific PKC isoforms in PMA-stimulated HUVECs. These findings indicate that AS-IV may be used as a natural medicine to treat EPCR-related systemic inflammation and cardiovascular diseases by targeting MAPK and PKC pathway.