蜂胶醇提物通过抑制C/EBP同源蛋白表达减轻氧化低密度脂蛋白诱导的血管内皮细胞凋亡

目的:研究蜂胶醇提物(ethanol extract of propolis,EEP)对氧化低密度脂蛋白(oxidized low-density lipoprotein,ox-LDL)诱导的血管内皮细胞凋亡的抑制作用,并探讨可能的分子机制。方法:体外培养人脐静脉内皮细胞(human umbilical vein endothelial cells,HUVECs),给予EEP(7.5、15和30 mg/L)、4-苯丁酸(4-phenylbutyric acid,PBA;4 mmol/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/PI双染法检测细胞活力和凋亡情况;试剂盒测定培养液乳酸脱氢酶(lactic dehydrogenase,LDH)和细胞内caspase-3活性。分别采用Western blot和real-time PCR技术检测内质网应激(endoplasmic reticulum stress,ERS)凋亡途径关键蛋白C/EBP同源蛋白(C/EBP homologous protein,CHOP)和Bcl-2的表达变化。结果:与ERS抑制剂PBA相似,EEP呈剂量依赖性地减轻ox-LDL所诱导的HUVECs损伤,表现为细胞活力增加(P0.01或P0.05),LDH漏出、凋亡率和caspase-3活性降低(P0.05或P0.01),且可抑制ERS诱导剂TM所致的HUVECs活力下降(P0.05),以及LDH漏出、细胞凋亡率和caspase-3活性增加(P0.05或P0.01);与PBA相似,EEP可抑制ox-LDL所诱导的CHOP上调和Bcl-2下调(P0.05或P0.01);另外,与TM组比较,EEP预处理组CHOP蛋白和mRNA表达上调也受到明显抑制(P0.05或P0.01)。结论:EEP可减轻oxLDL所诱导的HUVECs凋亡,其机制可能与抑制CHOP介导的ERS凋亡途径有关。

Ethanol extract of propolis protects vascular endothelial cells from oxidized low-density lipoprotein-induced apoptosis by inhibiting C/EBP homologous protein expression

AIM: To investigate the inhibitory effect of ethanol extract of propolis (EEP) on oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL)-induced vascular endothelial cell apoptosis and the underlying molecular mechanisms.METHODS: Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were pretreated with EEP (7.5, 15 and 30 mg/L) or 4-phenylbutyric acid (PBA, 4 mmol/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/PI double staining, respectively. The activities of lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) in the medium and caspase-3 in the HUVECs were measured. The protein and mRNA levels of C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), a proapoptotic molecule under endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS), and its downstream Bcl-2 were examined by Western blot and real-time PCR, respectively.RESULTS: Like PBA (an ERS inhibitor), EEP protected HUVECs from ox-LDL-induced injury in a dose-dependent manner, as assessed by the increased cell viability and the decreased LDH release, apoptotic rate and caspase-3 activation. The decrease in cell viabi-lity and the increases in LDH release, apoptotic rate and caspase-3 activation induced by TM, an ERS inducer, were also attenuated by EEP. Moreover, EEP suppressed ox-LDL-induced CHOP upregulation and Bcl-2 downregulation, and this effect was similar to that of PBA. Similarly, EEP significantly suppressed TM-induced CHOP upregulation both at the protein and mRNA levels.CONCLUSION: EEP may protect HUVECs from ox-LDL-induced apoptosis, and the mechanism is at least partially involved in suppressing CHOP-mediated ERS-associated apoptotic pathway.