蜂胶醇提物通过抑制caspase-12减轻氧化低密度脂蛋白诱导的巨噬细胞凋亡

 目的: 研究蜂胶醇取物(ethanol extract of propolis,EEP)对氧化低密度脂蛋白(oxidized low-density lipoprotein,ox-LDL)诱导的巨噬细胞凋亡的抑制作用,并探讨可能的分子机制。 方法: 体外培养RAW264.7巨噬细胞,给予EEP(7.5、15和30 mg/L)、4-苯丁酸(4-phenylbutyric acid,PBA;5 mmol/L)或二亚苯基碘鎓(diphenyleneiodo-nium, DPI;5 μmol/L)预处理1 h,再加入ox-LDL(100 mg/L)或衣霉素(tunicamycin,TM;4 mg/L)继续培养24 h。分别采用MTT法和Annexin V-FITC双染法检测细胞活力和凋亡情况;试剂盒测定细胞内超氧化物歧化酶(superoxide dismutase,SOD)活性、活性氧簇(reactive oxygen species,ROS)和丙二醛(malondialdehyde,MDA)的水平。采用免疫印迹技术检测内质网应激(endoplasmic reticulum stress,ERS)凋亡途径关键蛋白caspase-12的表达变化。结果: 与ERS抑制剂PBA相似,EEP呈剂量依赖性减轻ox-LDL所致的巨噬细胞损伤,表现为细胞活力增加(P<0.01),凋亡率降低(P<0.05),且可抑制ERS诱导剂TM所引起的巨噬细胞活力下降和凋亡(P<0.05);与氧化应激抑制剂DPI相似,EEP可抑制ox-LDL诱导的氧化应激反应,表现为ROS和MDA生成减少(P<0.01),SOD活性增加(P<0.05);EEP显著抑制ox-LDL和TM所诱导的caspase-12活化(P<0.05);与ox-LDL组比较,PBA和DPI预处理组caspase-12活性也受到明显抑制(P<0.01)。结论: EEP可减轻 ox-LDL 所诱导的RAW264.7巨噬细胞凋亡,其机制可能与抑制氧化应激和caspase-12活化有关。

Ethanol extract of propolis protects macrophages from oxidized low-density lipoprotein-induced apoptosis by inhibiting caspase-12

AIM: To investigate the inhibitory effect of ethanol extract of propolis (EEP) on oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL)-induced macrophage apoptosis and the underlying molecular mechanisms. METHODS: RAW264.7 macrophages were pretreated with EEP (7.5, 15 and 30 mg/L), 4-phenylbutyric acid (PBA, 5 mmol/L) or diphenyleneiodonium (DPI, 5 μmol/L) for 1 h and then treated with ox-LDL (100 mg/L) or tunicamycin (TM, 4 mg/L) for 24 h. The cell viability and apoptosis were determined by MTT assay and Annexin V-FITC apoptosis detection kit, respectively. The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), and the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the cells were measured. The protein levels of caspase-12, a proapoptotic molecule under endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS), were examined by Western blot analysis. RESULTS: Like PBA (an ERS inhibitor), EEP protected RAW264.7 macrophages from ox-LDL-induced injury in a dose-dependent manner, as assessed by the increased cell viability and the decreased apoptotic rate. The decrease in cell viability and increase in apoptotic rate induced by TM, an ERS inducer, were also attenuated by EEP. Moreover, EEP suppressed ox-LDL-induced oxidative stress as revealed by the decreased generation of ROS and MDA as well as elevated SOD activity, which were similar to DPI, an oxidative stress inhibitor. Furthermore, EEP significantly suppressed ox-LDL- or TM-induced activation of caspase-12. Similar results were observed in the cells pretreated with PBA or DPI and then treated with ox-LDL. CONCLUSION: EEP may protect RAW264.7 macrophages from ox-LDL-induced apoptosis and the mechanism is at least partially involved in the ability of EEP to suppress oxidative stress and subsequent activation of caspase-12.