title: Toxicity features of high glucose on endothelial cell cycle and protection by Dan Gua-Fang in ECV-304 in high glucose medium.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the toxicity features of high glucose on the endothelial cell cycle and the influence of Dan Gua-Fang, a Chinese herbal compound prescription, on the reproductive cycle of vascular endothelial cells cultivated under a high glucose condition; to reveal the partial mechanisms of Dan Gua-Fang in the prevention and treatment of endothelial injury caused by hyperglycemia in diabetes mellitus (DM); and offer a reference for dealing with the vascular complications of DM patients with long-term high blood glucose.
  
  
  METHODS
  Based on the previous 3-(4,5)-dimethylthiahiazo (z-y1)-3-5-diphenytetrazoliumromide (MTT) experiment, under different medium concentrations of glucose and Dangua liquor, the endothelial cells of vein-304 (ECV-304) were divided into 6 groups as follows: standard culture group (Group A, 5.56 mmol/L glucose); 1/300 herb-standard group (Group B); high glucose culture group (Group C, 16.67 mmol/L glucose); 1/150 herb-high glucose group (Group D); 1/300 herb-high glucose group (Group E); and 1/600 herb-high glucose group (Group F). The cell cycle was assayed using flow cytometry after cells were cultivated for 36, 72 and 108 h, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  (1) The percentage of cells in the G0/G1 phase was significantly increased in Group C compared with that in Group A (P<0.05), while the percentage of S-phase (S%) cells in Group C was significantly reduced compared with Group A (P<0.05); the latter difference was dynamically related to the length of growing time of the endothelial cells in a high glucose environment. (2) The S% cells in Group A was decreased by 30.25% (from 40.23% to 28.06%) from 36 h to 72 h, and 12.33% (from 28.06% to 24.60%) from 72 h to 108 h; while in Group C, the corresponding decreases were 23.05% and 21.87%, respectively. The difference of S% cells between the two groups reached statistical significance at 108 h (P<0.05). (3) The percentage difference of cells in the G2/M phase between Group C and Group A was statistically significant at 72 h (P<0.01). (4) 1/300 Dan Gua-Fang completely reversed the harmful effect caused by 16.67 mmol/L high glucose on the cell cycle; moreover it did not disturb the cell cycle when the cell was cultivated in a glucose concentration of 5.56 mmol/L.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High glucose produces an independent impact on the cell cycle. Persistent blocking of the cell cycle and its arrest at the G0/G1 phase are toxic effects of high glucose on the endothelial cell cycle. The corresponding variation of the arrest appears in the S phase. 1/300 Dan Gua-Fang completely eliminates the blockage of high glucose on the endothelial cell cycle.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrine, People's Hospital Affiliated to Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350004, China. hengxianpei@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Xian-Pei
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: Heng
authors.forename: Ke-Ji
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Zhen-Feng
authors.initials: ZF
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Wei-Dong
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Ke-Dan
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Jiu-Mao
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Hai-Xia
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Liu-Qing
authors.initials: LQ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Su-Ping
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Yuan-Long
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Lan
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guo
mesh_terms: D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003470:Culture Media / Q000494:pharmacology; D019610:Cytoprotection / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005947:Glucose / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C559220:dan gua-fang; D005947:Glucose