title: Ebselen inhibits p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase-mediated endothelial cell death by hydrogen peroxide.
abstract: Ebselen (2-phenyl-1, 2-benzisoselenazol-3[2H]-one) is a seleno-organic compound exhibiting both glutathione peroxidase and antioxidant activity. Although it has been reported that ebselen is effective against hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2))-induced cell death in several cell types, its effect on endothelial cell damage has not yet been elucidated. In the present study, we examined the effect of ebselen on H(2)O(2)-induced human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) death, and its intracellular mechanism. Our findings showed that pretreatment of HUVECs with ebselen resulted in a significant recovery from H(2)O(2)-induced cell death in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition to the inhibition of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage, ebselen inhibited H(2)O(2)-induced cytochrome c release and caspase-3 activation and the resultant apoptosis in HUVECs. Moreover, it was observed that H(2)O(2) significantly stimulated activation of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases, i.e., p38 MAP kinase, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2). Ebselen inhibited H(2)O(2)-induced p38 MAP kinase, but not JNK or ERK1/2 activation. Furthermore, SB203580 (4-[4-fluorophenyl]-2-[4-methylsulfinylphenyl]-5-[4-pyridyl]-1H-imidazole), a specific p38 MAP kinase inhibitor, inhibited H(2)O(2)-induced p38 MAP kinase phosphorylation, cytochrome c release, caspase-3 activation, as well as cell death in HUVECs. These findings suggest that ebselen attenuates H(2)O(2)-induced endothelial cell death through the inhibition of signaling pathways mediated by p38 MAP kinase, caspase-3, and cytochrome c release. Thus, inhibition of p38 MAP kinase by ebselen may imply its usefulness for prevention and/or treatment of endothelial cell dysfunction, which was suggested to be the first step in the development of atherosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, The University of Tokushima School of Medicine, 3-18-15 Kuramoto, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan.
authors.forename: Nermin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: Masanori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoshizumi
authors.forename: Koichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsuchiya
authors.forename: Moe
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kyaw
authors.forename: Yoshiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fujita
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Izawa
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: Yasuhisa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kanematsu
authors.forename: Shoji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kagami
authors.forename: Toshiaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tamaki
mesh_terms: D001393:Azoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000633:toxicity*; D054833:Isoindoles; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000502:physiology; D016566:Organoselenium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
chemical_list: D001393:Azoles; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D054833:Isoindoles; D016566:Organoselenium Compounds; C042986:ebselen; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases