title: [Effects of Panax notoginseng saponins on pneumocyte apoptosis and c-Jun N-terminal kinase in lung ischemia/reperfusion injury].
abstract: The aim of the present study is to investigate the effects of Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) on pneumocyte apoptosis and apoptosis-related protein, as well as c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) in lung ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. Thirty Wistar rats were randomly divided into control group, I/R group and PNS group. The unilateral lung I/R model was replicated by obstruction of left lung hilus for 30 min and reperfusion for 120 min in vivo. The rats in PNS group were given intraperitoneal injection of PNS at 60 min before ischemia and 10 min before reperfusion. Some lung tissues sampled at the end of the experiment were assayed for wet/dry weight ratio (W/T). The expressions of phosphorylated JNK (p-JNK) and JNK protein were detected by Western blot. The expressions of Bcl-2, Bax and Caspase-3 protein were detected by immunocytochemistry techniques. The pneumocyte apoptotic index (AI) was detected by terminal deoxynuleotidy1 transferase mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL). The morphological and ultrastructure changes were observed under light microscope and electron microscope, and the injured alveolus rate (IAR) was counted as well. The results showed that compared to control group, I/R group showed increased expressions of p-JNK, Bcl-2, Bax and Caspase-3 protein (all P < 0.01), decreased ratio of Bcl-2/Bax (P < 0.05), and increased values of AI, W/T and IAR (all P < 0.01). Moreover, light microscope and electron microscope showed serious morphological and ultrastructure injury in I/R group. Compared to I/R group, PNS group showed markedly decreased expressions of p-JNK, Bax and Caspase-3 protein (all P < 0.01), increased expression of Bcl-2 protein and ratio of Bcl-2/Bax (both P < 0.01), and lower values of AI, W/T and IAR (all P < 0.01). Meanwhile, light morphological and ultrastructure injury was found to be alleviated in PNS group. These results suggest that PNS can protect lung tissue from I/R injury, and the mechanism may correlate with suppressing JNK signal pathway, up-regulating the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax which results in inhibition of Caspase-3 dependent apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathophysiology, Wenzhou Medical College, Wenzhou, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Xiao
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Zhang-Juan
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Yong-Yue
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Zhou-Xi
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Wan-Tie
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D056809:Alveolar Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D007511:Ischemia / Q000503:physiopathology; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D008168:Lung / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D053723:Panax notoginseng / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012503:Saponins / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D012503:Saponins; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases