title: [Effects of Astragalus Membranaceus Injection on TNF-alpha-induced release of inflammatory factors from HUVECs and the molecular mechanisms].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the protective effect of Astragalus Membranaceus Injection on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) against tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha).
  
  
  METHODS
  Cultured passage 2 HUVECs were stimulated with TNF-alpha with or without a 2-h Astragalus Membranaceus Injection treatment. The expression of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) subunit p65 were evaluated by immuncytochemistical method, and the levels of p65 in the nuclei and the protein Ikappabetaalpha in the cytoplasm were evaluated by Western blotting. The levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and soluble intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) in the cell culture were determined with ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  TNF-alpha induced the activation of NF-kappaB and increased the expressions of IL-6 and sICAM-1 in HUVECs. The activation of NF-kappabeta by TNF-alpha was suppressed by Astragalus Membranaceus Injection in a dose-dependent manner.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Astragalus Membranaceus Injection can inhibit the TNF-alpha-induced expression of IL-6 and sICAM-1 by suppressing NF-kappabeta activation, suggesting its protective effect on the endothelial function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Guangdong Second Provincial People's Hospital, Guangzhou, China. ywqjsyzb@sina.com
authors.forename: Ze-Bin
authors.initials: ZB
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Fan-Jun
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Gang-Qing
authors.initials: GQ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Wang-Min
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Hai-Sen
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Xing-Tao
authors.initials: XT
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D027885:Astragalus propinquus / Q000737:chemistry*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D051996:Transcription Factor RelA / Q000378:metabolism*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014471:Umbilical Veins / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C508600:IL6 protein, human; D015850:Interleukin-6; C498143:RELA protein, human; D051996:Transcription Factor RelA; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1