title: Wogonin ameliorates lipotoxicity-induced apoptosis of cultured vascular smooth muscle cells via interfering with DAG-PKC pathway.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of wogonin (5,7-dihydroxy-8-methoxyflavone) extracted from Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi (S baicalensis) on lipotoxicity-induced apoptosis of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and the underlying mechanisms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cultured VSMCs were used. Apoptosis of VSMCs was induced by palmitate (0.75 mmol/L), and detected using TUNEL assay. The expression levels of protein and phosphorylated protein were measured using Western blot analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Treatment of VSMCs with wogonin (10, 25 and 50 μmol/L) significantly attenuated the apoptosis and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress induced by palmitate in concentration- and time-dependent manners. Wogonin (50 μmol/L) decreased palmitate-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. The ER stress inhibitor 4-phenyl butyric acid (5 mmol/L) significantly decreased palmitate-induced apoptotic cells, and occluded the anti-apoptotic effect of wogonin (25 μmol/L). Wogonin (10, 25 and 50 μmol/L) significantly reduced the intracellular diacylglycerol (DAG) accumulation and expression levels of phosphorylated PKCs in palmitate-treated VSMCs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that wogonin inhibits lipotoxicity-induced apoptosis of VSMCs via suppressing the intracellular DAG accumulation and subsequent inhibition of PKC phosphorylation. Wogonin has therapeutic potential for the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis.
authors: Department of Neurology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, China.
authors: Yu-min
authors: YM
authors: Liu
authors: Xiong
authors: X
authors: Wang
authors: Ahmed
authors: A
authors: Nawaz
authors: Zhao-hong
authors: ZH
authors: Kong
authors: Yan
authors: Y
authors: Hong
authors: Chang-hua
authors: CH
authors: Wang
authors: Jun-jian
authors: JJ
authors: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004075:Diglycerides / Q000378:metabolism*; D044950:Flavanones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D010654:Phenylbutyrates / Q000494:pharmacology; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004075:Diglycerides; D044950:Flavanones; D010654:Phenylbutyrates; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; C075773:4-phenylbutyric acid; D011493:Protein Kinase C; C085514:wogonin