title: Effect of puerarin on retinal pigment epithelial cells apoptosis induced partly by peroxynitrite via Fas/FasL pathway.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the peroxynitrite (ONOO(-)) of puerarin on retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells apoptosis induced partly by peroxynitrite via Fas/FasL.
  
  
  METHODS
  RPE cells from C57BL/6 mice eyes were cultured. Diabetes was induced in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats by streptozotocin (STZ) intraperitoneal injection. Puerarin was administrated to cultured RPE cells and diabetic rats. Western blotting analysis, DNA ladder, RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry were used for determining the expression of nitrotyrosine (NT, the foot print of ONOO(-)), complement 3 (C3); apoptosis and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA as well as Fas/FasL signal transduction in RPE cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both RPE cells in ONOO(-) and puerarin group developed apoptosis and expressed NT, C3, iNOS mRNA and Fas/FasL. But latter delayed the all changes in a time-dependent manner compared with control and STZ group (P<0.001). iNOS, C3 and Fas/FasL were up-regulated and associated with an increase of expression of ONOO(-)in vivo and in vitro.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Puerarin decreases RPE cells apoptosis partly induced by ONOO(-) for diabetic retinopathy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, People's Hospital of Hebei Province, Shijiazhuang 050051, Hebei Province, China.
authors.forename: Li-Na
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.forename: Yan-Qing
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yu-Hua
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Zhi-Yun
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yan-Hua
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hai-Fang
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Shou-Zhi
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: He