title: AlphaB-crystallin inhibits glucose-induced apoptosis in vascular endothelial cells.
abstract: Recent studies implicate hyperglycemia as a cause of vascular complications in diabetes. Our study confirmed that high concentration of glucose (30 mM) induces apoptosis in cultures of human umbilical vein endothelial cells. After 5 days of culture TUNEL positive cells in high concentration of glucose were nearly 63% higher when compared to normal concentration of glucose (5 mM). Transfection of pcDNA3-rat alphaB-crystallin into these cells inhibited high glucose-induced apoptosis by approximately 36%, such an effect was not observed when cells were transfected with an empty vector. AlphaB-crystallin transfection inhibited by about 35% of high glucose induced activation of caspase-3. High concentration of glucose enhanced formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in these cells but this was significantly (p < 0.001) curtailed by transfection of alphaB-crystallin. Results of our study indicate that alphaB-crystallin effectively inhibits both ROS formation and apoptosis in cultured vascular endothelial cells and provide a basis for future therapeutic interventions in diabetic vascular complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.
authors.forename: BingFen
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Manjunatha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bhat
authors.forename: Ram H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Nagaraj
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005947:Glucose / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D014162:Transfection; D014471:Umbilical Veins; D038203:alpha-Crystallin B Chain / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D038203:alpha-Crystallin B Chain; D005947:Glucose