Frontiers in Pharmacology
·
2024
·
IF 4.4
Chencen Lai,Shuo Zhang,Zhiyu Chen,Xiaoyu Fu,Min Zhang,Pengjiao Wang,Xiuli Gao
Pyroptosis induced by oxidative stress is a significant contributor to mental health disorders, including depression (+)-Catechin (CA), a polyphenolic compound prevalent in various food sources, has been substantiated by prior research to exhibit potent antioxidant properties and potential antidepressant effects. Nonetheless, the precise antidepressive mechanisms and effects of CA remain incompletely elucidated. In this study, we employed corticosterone (CORT) and PC12 cells to develop a cellular model of depression, aiming to investigate the protective effects of CA against CORT-induced cellular damage. Our objective was to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of protective action. We utilized transcriptomic analysis to identify differentially expressed genes and employed bioinformatics approaches to predict the potential mechanisms of CA’s protective effects in PC12 cells. These transcriptomic predictions were subsequently validated through western blot analysis. The findings indicated that CA possesses the capacity to mitigate oxidative stress and suppress pyroptosis in PC12 cells via the activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. This activation subsequently modulates the Nrf2/HO1/NF-κB pathways, thereby providing protection to PC12 cells against damage induced by CORT. Furthermore, we investigated the interaction between CA and the Keap1 protein employing molecular docking and protein thermal shift assays. We propose that CA can activate Nrf2 through two mechanisms to decrease reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and inhibit pyroptosis: one mechanism involves the activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, and the other involves direct binding to Keap1, leading to an increase in p-Nrf2.
研究领域:
神经科学
·
药理学
·
细胞生物学
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分子生物学
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生物信息学
✓ 已验证
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
American Journal of Cancer Research
·
2022
·
IF 5.942
Guangyu Cheng,Lin Li,Qingjie Li,Shulin Lian,Hongbo Chu,Yunlu Ding,Chikun Li,Yan Leng
Multi-drug resistance remains a critical issue in cancer treatment that hinders the effective use of chemotherapeutic drugs. The active components of traditional Chinese medicine have been applied as adjuvants to accentuate the anticancer properties of conventional drugs such as cisplatin. However, their application requires further validation and optimization. This study explored the anticancer activity of β-elemene, a natural component of traditional Chinese medical formulations. The effect of β-elemene on the anticancer properties of cisplatin was evaluated in A549 and NCI-H1650 lung cancer cells. Cell apoptosis, stem-like properties, glucose metabolism, multi-drug resistance, and PI3K/AKT/mTOR activation were assessed via flow cytometry, tumorsphere formation, and western blotting. The target genes of β-elemene were predicted using bioinformatics tools and validated in both cell lines. A xenograft model of lung cancer was established in nude mice to evaluate the combined effects of β-elemene and cisplatin in vivo . We found that β-elemene acted synergistically with cisplatin against non-small cell lung cancer cells by promoting apoptosis and impairing glucose metabolism, multi-drug resistance, and stemness maintenance. These effects were mediated by the inhibition of PI3K/AKT/mTOR activation. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that RB1 and TP53 are common target genes associated with lung cancer and β-elemene. The anti-tumorigenic properties of β-elemene were confirmed in vivo , wherein β-elemene, along with cisplatin, significantly suppressed tumor growth in a mouse xenograft model of non-small cell lung cancer. As such, β-elemene acted as an inhibitor of PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling and enhanced the anticancer effect of cisplatin by targeting tumor metabolism, chemoresistance, and stem-like behavior. Thus, β-elemene is an effective anticancer adjuvant agent with potential clinical applications.
研究领域:
肿瘤学
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药理学
·
分子生物学
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生物信息学
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
·
2024
·
IF 13.3
Mashiti Sha,Huansong Li,Yangsui Liu,Cong Tang,Xue Bai,Yun Wang,Bo Yuan,Kairui Liu,Xiaoning Gao,Jun Yan,Silong Wei,Jin Chang,Jun Kang
Cancer immunotherapy has improved the survival rate of patients with malignant tumors. However, the response of solid tumors to immunotherapy is quite limited. Here, we report a pH-responsive nanocomposite for augmented sonodynamic-chemodynamic immunotherapy. This Mn-CaCO 3 -2,2′-azobis[2-(2-imidazolin-2-yl) propane]-dihydrochloride (AIPH) nanosystem, Lipo@MCA, was prepared through a simple two-step reaction. It released sonosensitizer AIPH and Ca 2+ within the acidic tumor microenvironment. AIPH generated alkyl free radicals under ultrasound irradiation, and Mn 2+ produces ·OH through Fenton-like reaction. The Ca 2+ induced calcium overload in tumor cells. This induced mitochondrial dysfunction and promoted tumor cell apoptosis. Lipo@MCA also inhibited the phosphorylation of Akt and PI3K. In vitro experiments indicated that the nanoparticle inhibited tumor cell invasion and migration, and induced tumor cell apoptosis. In vivo experiments demonstrated that Lipo@MCA inhibited tumor growth by promoting cytokine secretion, stimulating dendritic cell maturation, and enhancing T-cell differentiation. In summary, this study paves the way for synergistic inhibition of tumor cell metastasis and immunotherapy in solid tumors through PI3K signaling pathway inhibition.
研究领域:
癌症治疗
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纳米技术
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免疫学
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细胞生物学
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药理学
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
Heliyon
·
2024
·
IF 3.4
Chunhua Liu,Yu He,Kun Zhou,Hong Wang,Meng Zhou,Jia Sun,Yuan Lu,Yong Huang,Yonglin Wang,Ting Liu,Yongjun Li
Background Gerberae Piloselloidis Herba (GPH) exhibits notable efficacy in alleviating allergic asthma. Previous studies in our research have identified a mixture of luteolin, arbutin, and marmesin as effective components of GPH in treating allergic asthma. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. This study aims to elucidate the molecular mechanism of these active components. Method Using an ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergic asthma mouse model, various treatment groups were administered, including GPH, the active component mixture (termed "Mixture") containing luteolin, arbutin, and marmesin, and a positive drug (dexamethasone, DEX). Relevant indices were assessed, including behavioral characteristics, inflammatory cell counts, cytokine levels, histopathological examination of lung tissue, apoptosis, and expression of key proteins such as Caspase-3, Bax, Bcl-2, PI3K, p-PI3K, Akt, and p-Akt. The effect of the Mixture on the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway was further verified using the PI3K inhibitor LY294002. Results The Mixture significantly alleviated asthma symptoms, decreased IgE levels, cytokine levels (IL-4, IL-5, IL-13 and TNF-α), and the number of inflammatory cells in serum or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), leading to the alleviation of lung pathological lesions. Additionally, the Mixture reduced the expression of Bax and Caspase-3 while increasing Bcl-2 expression, resulting in mitigated apoptosis in lung tissue. Furthermore, there appeared a decrease in the levels of PI3K and p-PI3K, as well as the ratio of p-Akt to Akt in the Mixture group, indicating the suppression of PI3K and Akt phosphorylation. Interestingly, the effects of the Mixture were comparable to those of GPH, LY294002, or the combination of LY294002 with the Mixture. Conclusion The study confirms that the Mixture containing luteolin, arbutin, and marmesin indeed alleviates allergic asthma induced by OVA in mice by suppressing the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. These findings highlight the potential of the GPH-derived Mixture as a novel therapeutic for the treatment of allergic asthma.
研究领域:
药理学
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免疫学
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分子生物学
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病理学
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH
·
2017
·
IF 4.521
Jing Zhang,Li Li,Yueting Peng,Yu Chen,Xiaoying Lv,Shun Li,Xiang Qin,Hong Yang,Chunhui Wu,Yiyao Liu
Tumor cell can be significantly influenced by various chemical groups of the extracellular matrix proteins. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms involved in the interaction between cancer cells and functional groups in the extracellular matrix remain unknown. Using chemically modified surfaces with biological functional groups (CH 3 , NH 2 , OH), it was found that hydrophobic surfaces modified with CH 3 and NH 2 suppressed cell proliferation and induced the number of apoptotic cells. Mitochondrial dysfunction, cytochrome c release, Bax upregulation, cleaved caspase-3 and PARP, and Bcl-2 downregulation indicated that hydrophobic surfaces with CH 3 and NH 2 triggered the activation of intrinsic apoptotic signaling pathway. Cells on the CH 3 - and NH 2 -modified hydrophobic surfaces showed downregulated expression and activation of integrin β1, with a subsequent decrease of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) activity. The RhoA/ROCK/PTEN signaling was then activated to inhibit the phosphorylation of PI3K and AKT, which are essential for cell proliferation. However, pretreatment of MDA-MB-231 cells with SF1670, a PTEN inhibitor, abolished the hydrophobic surface-induced activation of the intrinsic pathway. Taken together, the present results indicate that CH 3 - and NH 2 -modified hydrophobic surfaces induce mitochondria-mediated apoptosis by suppressing the PTEN/PI3K/AKT pathway, but not OH surfaces. These findings are helpful to understand the interaction between extracellular matrix and cancer cells, which might provide new insights into the mechanism potential intervention strategies for tumor prognosis.
研究领域:
癌症生物学
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细胞生物学
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分子生物学
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生物化学
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
·
2025
·
IF 8.5
Donglei Zheng,Lulu Ma,Xiaojuan Xin,Ying Gao,Shijian Dong,Ying Huang,Jijun Wu,Jiaying Huo,Shugang Li
Ovotransferrin (OVT), a bioactive protein from egg white, has been demonstrated to exhibit anti-inflammatory efficacy and suppress the progression of ulcerative colitis. Nevertheless, its role in preserving intestinal barrier integrity has not been reported. This study investigated the role of OVT on intestinal barrier dysfunction in DSS-induced ulcerative colitis mice and its underlying mechanisms. OVT significantly attenuated the severity of intestinal barrier injury, reduced inflammatory infiltration, and restored goblet cell density (Model: 5.00 goblet cells/crypt, High: 12.75 goblet cells/crypt) alongside the expression of MUC2 (87.64 %), ZO-1 (83.98 %), and Occludin (74.93 %). Concurrently, OVT decreased intestinal permeability by 84.42 %. Furthermore, OVT downregulated pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6), while elevating anti-inflammatory IL-10 levels and restoring redox homeostasis. RNA-seq and Western blot analysis revealed that OVT inhibited the PI3K-Akt/MAPK pathway by decreasing the phosphorylation of p85α (31.73 %), Akt (69.59 %), p38 (25.00 %), and ERK (41.18 %). Metabolomics showed that OVT modulated key metabolites, including L-glutamate, serotonin, and d -fructose-6-phosphate, while decreasing glucose and L-asparagine. These results suggested that OVT regulated immune responses and metabolic pathways, highlighting its therapeutic potential in preserving intestinal barrier integrity.
研究领域:
分子生物学
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免疫学
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药理学
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生物化学
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细胞生物学
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代谢组学
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
FOLIA BIOLOGICA
·
2022
·Vol. 68
·期 2
·59-71
·
IF 1.167
Shao ZC,Zhu BH,Huang AF,Su MQ,An LJ,Wu ZP,Jiang YJ,Guo H,Han XQ,Liu CM
Drug resistance is a serious problem in cancer therapy. Growing evidence has shown that docosahexaenoic acid has anti-inflammatory and chemopreventive abilities. Studies have shown that autophagy inhibition and ferroptosis are promising therapeutic strategies for overcoming multidrug resistance. This study was aimed to examine whether docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) could reverse docetaxel resistance in prostate cancer cells. Cell survival was examined by MTT and colony formation. Protein expression was determined by Western blot. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was measured by flow cytometry. DHA displayed anti-cancer effects on proliferation, colony formation, migration, apoptosis, autophagy and epithelial mesenchymal transition. Glutathione-S-transferase π is an enzyme that plays an important role in drug resistance. DHA inhibited GSTπ protein expression and induced cytoprotective autophagy by regulating the PI3K/AKT signalling pathway in PC3R cells. DHA combined with PI3K inhibitor (LY294002) enhanced apoptosis by alleviating the expression of LC3B, (pro-) caspase- 3 and (uncleaved) PARP. DHA induced ferroptosis by attenuating the expression of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) and nuclear erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). DHA-treated PC3R cells produced ROS. The ROS and cytotoxicity were reversed by treatment with ferrostatin-1. DHA combined with docetaxel inhibited EMT by regulating the expression of E-cadhein and N-cadherin. In summary, DHA reversed drug resistance and induced cytoprotective autophagy and ferroptosis by regulating the PI3K/AKT/Nrf2/GPX4 signalling pathway in PC3R cells. We propose that DHA could be developed as a chemosensitizer and that the PI3K/AKT /Nrf2/GPX4 signalling pathway might be a promising therapeutic target for overcoming cancer drug resistance.
研究领域:
肿瘤学
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药理学
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细胞生物学
·
分子生物学
✓ 已验证
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
Journal of Evidence-Based Integrative Medicine
·
2024
·
IF 3.3
Shu Dong,MD,Panling Xu,MD,Peiwen Yang,MD,Juying Jiao,MD,Chien-shan Cheng,MD,PhD,Lianyu Chen,MD,PhD
BackgroundHuanglianjiedu decoction (HLJDD) is a classical Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) prescription with thousand years of clinical use against various malignancies, including pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD). However, its potential bioactive component and molecular mechanism remains unclear.AimsThis study is to inspect the HLJDD mechanisms of action against PAAD via integrated computational and pharmacochemistry strategy, in vivo and in vitro experiments to validate associated targets and pathways.MethodsA PAAD xenograft model was established by subcutaneous injecting Panc02 cells into C57BL/6 mice. Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) was engaged to determine constituents of HLJDD and assessed for pharmacokinetic scheme using the TCM Systems Pharmacology Platform (TCM-SP). Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of PAAD was retrieved from the transcriptome dataset GSE43795, followed by recognizing overlapping targets the oncogenes and target genes of PAAD and HLJDD, respectively. Putative signaling pathways of HLJDD in treating PAAD were enriched using KEGG and GO analyses. The anti-PAAD effects of HLJDD was assessed in vivo and in vitro, besides, the potential mechanism was validated using immunoblotting and immunohistochemical assays.ResultsHLJDD significantly suppressed the growth of transplanted PAAD tumors, constrained PAAD progression, and induced apoptosis and S-phase arrest. Seventy-five active components meeting the drug-likeness criteria and 278 target genes of HLJDD were identified. KEGG analysis indicated that the top three enriched pathways were cancer, AGE-RAGE signaling, and IL-17 signaling pathways. Disease enrichment analysis highlighted immune, pharmacological, and cancer-related diseases as the top three categories. A total of 47 potential target genes were identified. Immunoblotting revealed that HLJDD inhibited PI3K and MAPK-related signaling pathways, while immunohistochemical staining confirmed that HLJDD suppressed the expression of phosphorylated MAPK and ERK1/2.ConclusionHLJDD inhibited PAAD in vitro and in vivo via the modulation of multiple mechanisms, including regulation of PI3K/AKT/mTOR and MAPK/ERK1/2 signaling pathways.
研究领域:
肿瘤学
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中医药学
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药理学
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分子生物学
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系统生物学
✓ 已验证
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR MEDICINE
·
2016
·Vol. 38
·期 6
·1871-1878
·
IF 2.348
Xusheng Yuan,Junjun Chen,Min Dai
Paeonol (2'-hydroxy-4'-methoxyacetophenone) is an active component isolated from the root of Paeonia Suffruticosa Andrews. We previously found that paeonol inhibited vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM‑1) expression, and thus may be useful for the prevention and treatment of rabbit atherosclerosis (AS); however, the underlying mechanisms are not yet well known. Recently, microRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) have been reported to play an important role in the pathogenesis of AS. In the present study, we examined the effects of paeonol on miRNA-126 (miR‑126) expression, and its ability to inhibit monocyte adhesion to oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL)-injured vascular endothelial cells (VECs). VECs were isolated from the rat thoracic aorta and stimulated with ox-LDL (20 mg/l) in the presence of paeonol. We found that miR‑126 had a lower expression in the ox-LDL-injured VECs, and VCAM‑1 was identified as a target gene of miR‑126. Furthermore, paeonol promoted miR‑126 expression and suppressed VCAM‑1 expression at the mRNA and protein level. It also inhibited monocyte adhesion to ox-LDL-injured VECs through the promotion of miR‑126 expression. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that paeonol blocked the activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)/nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway by promoting miR-126 expression. Taken together, and to the best of our knowledge, the findings of this study provide the first evidence that paeonol promotes miR‑126 expression to inhibit monocyte adhesion to ox-LDL-injured VECs and block the activation of the PI3K/Akt/NF-κB signaling pathway. Our data suggest that miR‑126 plays a crucial role in vascular inflammation and may be an important therapeutic target in the treatment of AS with the use of paeonol.
研究领域:
药理学
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分子生物学
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心血管疾病
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
INTERNATIONAL IMMUNOPHARMACOLOGY
·
2024
·
IF 4.8
Ye Wang,Shao-jie Chen,Ting Ma,Qiu Long,Lan Chen,Ke-xin Xu,Yu Cao
Melanoma is a skin cancer originating from melanocytes. The global incidence rate of melanoma is rapidly increasing, posing significant public health challenges. Identifying effective therapeutic agents is crucial in addressing this growing problem. Natural products have demonstrated promising anti-tumor activity. In this study, a plant flavonoid, taxifolin, was screened using Weighted Correlation Network Analysis (WGCNA) in combination with the Connectivity Map (CMAP) platform. Taxifolin was confirmed to inhibit the proliferation, migration, and invasion ability of melanoma A375 and MV-3 cells by promoting apoptosis. Additionally, it suppressed the Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) process of melanoma cells. Cyber pharmacological analysis revealed that taxifolin exerts its inhibitory effect on melanoma through the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, specifically by downregulating the protein expression of p-PI3K and p-AKT. Notably, the addition of SC-79, an activator of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, reversed the effects of taxifolin on cell migration and apoptosis. Furthermore, in vivo experiments demonstrated that taxifolin treatment slowed tumor growth in mice without significant toxic effects. Based on these findings, taxifolin holds promise as a potential drug for melanoma treatment.
研究领域:
肿瘤学
·
药理学
·
分子生物学
·
癌症研究
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences
·
2024
·
IF 10.7
Hechen Wang,Xudan Shen,Xinlan Zhu,Su Zeng,Sheng Cai
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) shows the highest morbidity among liver cancers and accounts for a major factor inducing cancer-associated mortality globally. It is characterized by genetic mutations in hepatocytes, leading to uncontrolled cell growth and proliferation. Treatment options for HCC include surgery, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy. But chemotherapeutics, which focus on single-targeted drug therapy, are still associated with certain limitations and may affect the treatment outcomes. Compared with chemotherapy drugs, natural products also show the anticancer effect of HCC and hypotoxicity, but overall low activity of natural products limits their further application. MiRNAs can modulate post-transcriptional functions of target genes. An increasing body of evidence has demonstrated that miRNAs are the key regulators in HCC by targeting different molecules in different signaling pathways. However, miRNAs are fragile and liable to catabolism by RNases in serum and other body fluids and small molecules separated from natural products may have limited bio-availability. According to this background, a chitosan based, targeted sustained-release nanoparticle delivery miR-128-3p agomir (NA-miR-128-3p) was developed in this work. This nanoparticle was prepared by pentasodium tripolyphosphate (TPP), chitosan hydrochloride, and miR-128-3p agomir with target aptamer which was loaded into the chitosan nanoparticle by self-assembly. It can intervene in HCC progress by affecting AKT1 expression. Based on this, a novel, efficient, long-acting, multi-mechanism, low-dosage combination drug delivery strategy was proposed in this work and showed a prominent anti-tumor effect. NA-miR-128-3p combined with natural product Oroxin B significantly affected HCC progression by the interference with VEGF and PI3K-AKT pathways, better than using NA-miR-128-3p and Oroxin B alone. Taken together, this nanoparticle and combinative administration compensate for the shortcomings of the fragile RNA drugs and the low activity of natural products, with high prospects in HCC treatment.
研究领域:
肿瘤学
·
药学
·
分子生物学
·
纳米技术
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
Molecular Medicine Reports
·
2016
·Vol. 14
·期 1
·904-910
·
IF 1.559
Liandi Xie,Yang Wu,Zongjing Fan,Yang Liu,Jixiang Zeng
In the present study, the mechanisms associated with the Astragalus polysaccharide (APS)-mediated protection of human cardiac microvascular endothelial cells (HCMEC) against hypoxia/reoxygenation (HR) injury were investigated. Pretreatment of HCMECs with APS at various concentrations was performed prior to Na2S2O4-induced HR injury. Subsequently, cell viability and apoptosis were measured by MTT and Hoechst assays, respectively. The viability of HCMECs was reduced by Na2S2O4 and apoptosis was enhanced; however, cell viability was observed to be increased by APS via inhibition of apoptosis. Additionally, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), Ca2+, nitric oxide (NO), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-protein kinase B (AKT), B‑cell lymphoma‑2 (Bcl‑2), Bcl‑2 associated X protein (Bax) and caspase‑3 were measured using detection kits or western blot analysis. In HCMECs with HR injury, the levels of ROS and Ca2+, MDA and Bax expression levels, and the activity of caspase‑3 were elevated. By contrast, the level of NO, the protein expression levels of SOD, Bcl‑2 and PI3K, and the phosphorylation of AKT were decreased. However, compared with the HR group, the effects of HR injury were significantly reduced by APS, with APS providing a protective effect on HCMECs, particularly at higher doses. The current study concluded that APS protects HCMECs from Na2S2O4‑induced HR injury by reducing the levels of ROS, Ca2+, MDA and Bax, inhibiting the activity of caspase‑3, and enhancing the levels of NO, SOD, Bcl‑2, PI3K and phosphorylated AKT. These results may provide an insight into the clinical application of APS and novel therapeutic strategies for HR injury.
研究领域:
心血管研究
·
分子生物学
·
药理学
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
危险品化学品经营许可证（带存储）