title: High FFA-induced proliferation and apoptosis in human umbilical vein endothelial cell partly through Wnt/beta-catenin signal pathway.
abstract: Free fatty acids (FFA)-induced proliferation and apoptosis was studied in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). A recombinant adenovirus containing a RNAi cassette targeting the GSK-3beta gene was produced and its silencing effect on GSK-3beta gene was detected by Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry assay in HUVECs. The effect of the RNAi on the protein level of beta-catenin was explored by transfecting the RNAi adenovirus to inhibit the expression of GSK-3beta protein. The subsequent effect on the Wnt/GSK-3beta/beta-catenin signal pathway and on proliferation and apoptosis of HUVECs cultured with FFAs, was analyzed by BrdU assay, Annexin V-FITC/PI Apoptosis Detection Kit, and 4',6-diamidino-2- phenylindole(DAPI) to explore the possible connection between the signaling pathway and FFA-induced proliferation and apoptosis. The Western blot results showed that the expression of GSK-3beta protein in HUVECs could be inhibited efficiently by the RNAi adenovirus, and that the protein level of beta-catenin was increased by RNAi adenovirus transfection. The results of the BrdU assay suggested that knockdown of GSK-3beta with the RNAi adenovirus may stimulate the proliferation of HUVECs. Apoptosis was observed in HUVECs exposed to FFAs (0.75 mmol/L) for 72 h, and this effect could be partly reversed when interfering with the RNAi adenovirus. It may be concluded that the RNAi adenovirus specific to GSK-3beta may partly protect HUVECs from apoptosis induced by FFAs, probably through the up-regulation of the Wnt/beta-catenin signal pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China.
authors.forename: Penli
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Tingting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: You
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Qiqin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Xiaoyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Yufang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qiao
authors.forename: Lixiang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000256:Adenoviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000494:pharmacology*; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000071679:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta; D006801:Humans; D034622:RNA Interference; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D014471:Umbilical Veins / Q000166:cytology; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D051176:beta Catenin; C000605506:GSK3B protein, human; D000071679:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3