title: Puerarin decreases apoptosis of retinal pigment epithelial cells in diabetic rats by reducing peroxynitrite level and iNOS expression.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the protective effect of puerarin on retina pigment epithelial (RPE) cells of diabetic rats against apoptosis. One hundred and eight Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: control group, streptozotocin (STZ) group and puerarin group. STZ and puerarin groups received 3 d of STZ injection (45 mg/kg per day, i.p.). Additionally, puerarin groups were treated with puerarin (140 mg/kg, i.p.) from the 4th day to the end of experiment. The rats from different groups were sacrificed on 20, 40 and 60 d after STZ injection for harvesting RPE cells. Western blot analysis, DNA laddering, RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry were used for determining the expression of nitrotyrosine (NT, the foot print of peroxynitrite), cell apoptosis, iNOS mRNA and Fas/Fas ligand (FasL) signal transduction in RPE cells, respectively. The results showed that control group maintained low apoptosis level and little NT, iNOS mRNA, Fas/FasL protein expressions, as well as normal blood glucose and body weight during 60 d of the experiment. Compared with control group, STZ group showed obvious apoptosis and higher NT, iNOS mRNA, Fas/FasL protein expressions from 20 d after STZ injection. Puerarin relieved apoptosis of RPE cells and decreased NT, iNOS mRNA, Fas/FasL protein expressions in puerarin group 20 or 40 d after STZ injection, compared with STZ group. These results suggest puerarin can decrease RPE cells apoptosis in diabetic rats by reducing peroxynitrite level and iNOS expression, thus being a potential therapeutic agent in controlling of diabetic retinopathy.
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmology Department of Hebei Province People's Hospital, Shijiazhuang, China. jhaolina@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Li-Na
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jun-Ling
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000517:prevention & control; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D007529:Isoflavones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D030421:Peroxynitrous Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D055213:Retinal Pigment Epithelium / Q000473:pathology*; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; C491898:Fas protein, rat; C505662:Faslg protein, rat; D007529:Isoflavones; D020011:Protective Agents; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D019014:fas Receptor; D030421:Peroxynitrous Acid; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; C496318:Nos2 protein, rat; C033607:puerarin