scholarly journals Zhengyuan prescription inhibits X-ray-induced injury of human umbilical vein endothelial cells by activating the Nrf2 signaling pathway

Author(s):  
cheng xiaoni ◽  
Yalei Pan ◽  
Zhishu Tang ◽  
Rui Zhou ◽  
Haichao Zhang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Zhengyuan prescription (ZYP) is a Chinese herbal medicine used in clinical practice to protect against radiotherapy-induced injuries. In this study, we investigate the protective effect of ZYP against X-ray-induced injury of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), and we explore the mechanisms underlying this effect.Methods: After 3 h of ZYP intervention, the cells in the ZYP group were irradiated with 6 Gy X-rays and cultured for 48 h. Subsequently, the cell viability, cell morphology, mitochondrial membrane potential, and apoptosis and oxidative stress markers were observed, as well as the expressions of apoptotic and oxidative stress proteins.Results: The obtained results demonstrate that exposure to X-rays promotes cell death, reduces mitochondrial membrane potential, and induces the pirroduction of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). Pretreatment with ZYP reverses these effects to a great extent. Moreover, it up-regulates the expression of the B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) apoptosis inhibitor protein while down-regulating the expressions of Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax), caspase-3, and caspase-9. Interestingly, ZYP can also inhibit oxidative stress injury by activating the expression of Nrf2 (Nuclear Factor E2 related factor) regulated antioxidant enzyme genes such as Heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) and NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase-1 (NQO1)Conclusions: This study is the first to demonstrate that ZYP suppresses X-ray-induced injury of HUVECs by activating the Nrf2 signaling pathway.

2017 ◽  
Vol 95 (5) ◽  
pp. 610-619 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenhe Zhu ◽  
Huiyan Wang ◽  
Wei Zhang ◽  
Na Xu ◽  
Junjie Xu ◽  
...  

Antler velvet polypeptide (VAP) is a prominent bioactive component of antler velvet. Whereas uncharacterized crude extracts have typically been used in pharmacological studies, in this study, the velvet polypeptide was isolated and purified by acid water extraction, ethanol precipitation, ammonium sulfate fractionation and precipitation, and chromatography, progressively. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were induced with H2O2 followed purified polypeptide treatment. Cell viability was evaluated by MTT assay. The apoptosis of cells was detected by fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. A cell analyzer was used to measure the mitochondrial membrane potential. The intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were determined by flow cytometry. Oxidative stress related biochemical parameters were detected, and the expression of apoptosis-related proteins was examined by Western blot analysis. The results indicated that a 7.0 kDa polypeptide (VAP II) was isolated from antler velvet. VAP II enhanced cell viability, decreased cell apoptosis, reversed depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential, decreased ROS levels, inhibited oxidative stress, and regulated the downstream signaling apoptotic cascade expression caused by H2O2. The protective effects of VAP II on HUVECs suggests a potential strategy for the treatment of cardiovascular disease.


Genes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 1380
Author(s):  
Laila Naif Al-Harbi ◽  
Subash-Babu Pandurangan ◽  
Alhanouf Mohammed Al-Dossari ◽  
Ghalia Shamlan ◽  
Ahmad Mohammad Salamatullah ◽  
...  

The antioxidant capacity of polyphenols and flavonoids present in dietary agents aids in arresting the development of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and protecting endothelial smooth muscle cells from oxidative stress/induced necrosis. Beetroot (Beta vulgaris var. rubra L.; BVr) is a commonly consumed vegetable representing a rich source of antioxidants. Beetroot peel’s bioactive compounds and their role in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) are still under-researched. In the present study, beetroot peel methanol extract (BPME) was prepared, and its effect on the bio-efficacy, nuclear integrity, mitochondrial membrane potential and vascular cell growth, and immunoregulation-related gene expression levels in HUVECs with induced oxidative stress were analysed. Gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) results confirmed that BPME contains 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (32.6%), methyl pyruvate (15.13%), furfural (9.98%), and 2,3-dihydro-3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl-4H-Pyran-4-one (12.4%). BPME extract effectively enhanced cell proliferation and was confirmed by MTT assay; the nuclear integrity was confirmed by propidium iodide (PI) staining assay; the mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm) was confirmed by JC-1 staining assay. Annexin V assay confirmed that BPME-treated HUVECs showed 99% viable cells, but only 39.8% viability was shown in HUVECs treated with H2O2 alone. In addition, BPME treatment of HUVECs for 48 h reduced mRNA expression of lipid peroxide (LPO) and increased NOS-3, Nrf-2, GSK-3β, GPX, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and vascular cell growth factor (VEGF) mRNA expression levels. We found that BPME treatment decreased proinflammatory (nuclear factor-κβ (F-κβ), tissue necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), toll-like receptor-4 (TLR-4), interleukin-1β (IL-1β)) and vascular inflammation (intracellular adhesion molecule (ICAM), vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM), EDN1, IL-1β)-related mRNA expressions. In conclusion, beetroot peel treatment effectively increased vascular smooth cell growth factors and microtubule development, whereas it decreased vascular inflammatory regulators. BPME may be beneficial for vascular smooth cell regeneration, tissue repair and anti-ageing potential.


BMC Genomics ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 15 (Suppl 2) ◽  
pp. P23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sherin Bakhashab ◽  
Sahira Lari ◽  
Farid Ahmed ◽  
Hans-Juergen Schulten ◽  
Manikandan Jayapal ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Xing Chang ◽  
Tian Zhang ◽  
Dong Liu ◽  
Qingyan Meng ◽  
Peizheng Yan ◽  
...  

Atherosclerosis is closely associated with the inflammatory reaction of vascular endothelial cells. Puerarin (Pue), the main active component isolated from the rhizome of Pueraria lobata, is an isoflavone compound with potent antioxidant properties. Although Pue exhibits promising antiatherosclerotic pharmacological effects, only a few studies have reported its protective effect on endothelial cells. This study found that Pue could partly regulate mitochondrial function in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and reduce or inhibit lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory reactions and oxidative stress injury in HUVECs, likely via mitochondrial quality control. Furthermore, the protective effect of Pue on HUVECs was closely related to the SIRT-1 signaling pathway. Pue increased autophagy and mitochondrial antioxidant potential via increased SIRT-1 expression, reducing excessive production of ROS and inhibiting the expression of inflammatory factors and oxidative stress injury. Therefore, Pue may improve mitochondrial respiratory function and energy metabolism, increasing the vulnerability of HUVECs to an inflammatory state.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keliang Xie ◽  
Xing Mao ◽  
Naqi Lian ◽  
Yanyan Wang ◽  
Yuzun Wang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Sepsis is defined as life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection. It has been showed that the change of mitochondrial dynamics has been proved to be one of the main causes of death in patients with severe sepsis. And hydrogen has been proved to exert its protective effects against sepsis via heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). This study was designed to demonstrate that whether the benefit effects of hydrogen can maintain the dynamic process of mitochondrial fusion/fission to mitigate human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) injury exposed to endotoxin through HO-1. Methods HUVECs cells cultured with medium which contained Lipopolysaccharides (LPS), Saline, hydrogen, Mdivi-1 (a dynamin-related protein 1 [Drp1] inhibitor) or zinc protoporphyrin Ⅸ (Znpp) (a HO-1 inhibitor) were also used in the research. Cell death and apoptosis were assessed using FITC annexin V and PI. Mitochondria were stained with Mitotracker orange and observed by confocal microscope. Oxygen consumption rate was assessed by seahorse xf24 extracellular analyzer. Mitochondrial membrane potential monitored by JC-1 dye. The expressions of Drp1 and HO-1 were tested by Western blot. The co-localization of Drp1 and mitochondria was determined by immunofluorescence. Results LPS caused a decrease in ATP content, mitochondrial membrane potential, and maximal respiration rate. At the same time, increased expression of Drp1 were observed in LPS-stimulated HUVECs, concomitantly with excessive mitochondrial fission. We found that hydrogen-rich medium can increase ATP content, mitochondrial membrane potential and maximal respiration rate, and decrease the expression of Drp1 in LPS-treated HUVECs. Meanwhile, hydrogen can ameliorate excessive mitochondrial fission caused by LPS. Furthermore, hydrogen-rich medium had a similar effect to Mdivi-1, a mitochondrial fission blocker. Both of them rescued the up-regulation of Drp1 and mitochondrial fission induced by LPS, then normalized mitochondrial shape after LPS stimulation. But after Znpp pretreatment, HO-1 expression was inhibited and the protective effects of hydrogen were abrogated. Conclusions Hydrogen-rich medium can alleviate the LPS-induced mitochondrial fusion/fission and dysfunction in HUVECs via HO-1 up-regulation.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document