title: Apoptosis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells induced by artesunate.
abstract: Artesunate (ART), a semi-synthetic derivative of artemisinin isolated from the traditional Chinese herb Artemisia annua, is an effective novel antimalarial drug. The present study investigated the apoptotic activity of artesunate in cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) by means of nuclear staining, DNA agarose gel electrophoresis, and flow cytometry. The observations also indicated that artesunate induced apoptosis of HUVEC in a concentration-dependent and time-dependent manner. A Western immunoblot analysis showed down-regulation of the bcl-2 protein and up-regulation of the bax protein in the artesunate-treated HUVEC. Ca2+ in cells was evaluated by fluorescent spectrophotometer using Fura 2-AM as probe. These results suggest that artesunate may be a potential apoptosis-inducing agent for endothelial cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310031, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Guo-Dong
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Hui-Jun
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Xiu-Hua
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D031172:Artemisia annua; D037621:Artemisinins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000077332:Artesunate; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000187:drug effects; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014471:Umbilical Veins / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein
chemical_list: D037621:Artemisinins; C494826:BAX protein, human; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D000077332:Artesunate