葛根素预处理上调内皮型一氧化氮合酶的表达减轻人脐静脉内皮细胞缺氧/复氧损伤

 目的:探讨葛根素(puerarin,PUE)预处理对缺氧/复氧(hypoxia reoxygenation,H/R)损伤的人脐静脉内皮细胞(HUVECs)的保护作用。方法:HUVECs随机分为正常对照(control)组、H/R组、单纯PUE组和PUE+H/R组(1.0×10^-3 mol/L PUE预处理24 h后进行H/R)。采用Western blot方法检测内皮型一氧化氮合酶(eNOS)蛋白的表达,化学比色法检测组成型一氧化氮合酶(cNOS)的活性,TUNEL法检测细胞凋亡。此外,在PUE预处理前使用ERK蛋白激酶抑制剂U0126(1.0×10^-5 mol/L)或PI3K/Akt蛋白激酶抑制剂LY294002(5.0×10^-5mol/L)处理细胞1 h,再进行H/R。结果:与control组相比,H/R组的eNOS蛋白表达水平降低(P<0.05),PUE预处理上调eNOS蛋白的表达水平(P<0.05),该上调作用均可被U0126及LY294002抑制(P<0.05);与control组相比,H/R组的cNOS活力下降(P<0.05),PUE预处理组的cNOS活力增加(P<0.05);与control组相比,H/R组细胞凋亡指数显著增大(P<0.01),PUE预处理组的细胞凋亡指数减小(P<0.01)。结论:H/R可使HUVECs受损伤,eNOS蛋白表达及活性降低,细胞凋亡增加。PUE预处理可通过ERK1/2信号通路和PI3K/Akt信号通路上调HUVECs的eNOS蛋白表达,增强eNOS活性,减少细胞凋亡,发挥内皮细胞保护作用。

Puerarin pretreatment protects human umbilical vein endothelial cells against hypoxia/reoxygenation injury via increasing protein expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase

AIM: To investigate the protective effects of puerarin (PUE) pretreatment on hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) injury in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), as well as its possible mechanism and the signal transduction pathways involved. METHODS: HUVECs were randomly divided into normal control group, H/R group, PUE pretreatment group and PUE+H/R group (1.0×10^-3 mol/L, PUE pretreated the cells for 24 h before H/R). The protein expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) was measured by Western blot. The activity of constitutive NOS (cNOS) was determined via chemical colorimetric methods. Apoptosis of HUVECs was detected by TUNEL assay. In addition, the cells were treated with ERK inhibitor U0126 (1.0×10^-5 mol/L) or PKB/Akt inhibitor LY294002 (5.0×10^-5 mol/L) for 1 h before PUE pretreatment, and then H/R was performed.RESULTS: Compared with control group, H/R decreased the protein expression of eNOS (P<0.05), and PUE pretreatment up-regulated it (P<0.05). This effect of PUE was inhibited by U0126 or LY294002 (P<0.05). Compared with control group, the activity of cNOS decreased in H/R group (P<0.05), while it increased after PUE pretreatment (P<0.05). Compared with control group, the apoptotic index significantly increased in H/R group (P<0.01). PUE pretreatment reduced the apoptotic index (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: H/R decreases the protein expression and enzyme activity of eNOS in HUVECs, and induces apoptosis of HUVECs. PUE pretreatment up-regulates the protein expression and enzyme activity of eNOS, and reduces the apoptosis of HUVECs with H/R injury. The protective effect of PUE might be through increasing eNOS protein expression via ERK1/2 and PKB/Akt signaling pathways.