title: Crocetin prevents AGEs-induced vascular endothelial cell apoptosis.
abstract: Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are causally correlated with diabetic vascular complications. AGEs triggered oxidative reaction then accelerated endothelial cell apoptosis is a critical event in the process of vascular complications. Crocetin, a carotenoid has been previously shown to have strong antioxidant activates. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate the role of crocetin on the prevention of AGEs-mediated cell apoptosis in bovine aortic endothelial cells (BEC) and the mechanisms involved. Exposure of BEC to 200 microg/ml AGEs for 48 h results in a significant increase in apoptotic rate, compared with control. AGEs-induced DNA fragmentation preferentially occurred in the S phase cells. Crocetin prevented AGEs-induced BEC apoptosis, which correlates with crocetin attenuation of AGEs mediated increase of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation and elevation of intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) level (P<0.01 versus AGEs group). These results demonstrate that crocetin prevents AGEs-induced BEC apoptosis through ROS inhibition and [Ca2+]i stabilization and suggest that crocetin may exert a beneficial effect in preventing diabetes-associated vascular complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Suzhou Health College of Technology, Suzhou, China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Chenghua
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Wenna
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zhiyu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Qian
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D006690:Bisbenzimidazole; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002417:Cattle; D004396:Coloring Agents; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D053938:DNA Fragmentation / Q000187:drug effects; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D017127:Glycation End Products, Advanced / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000031:analogs & derivatives
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D004396:Coloring Agents; D017127:Glycation End Products, Advanced; C487773:trans-sodium crocetinate; D014801:Vitamin A; D002338:Carotenoids; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D004247:DNA; D006690:Bisbenzimidazole; D002118:Calcium