title: The effect of pioglitazone on the Alzheimer's disease-induced apoptosis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease and nowadays the role of endothelial cell (EC) injury has been proposed in pathological process in AD. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) agonist has anti-inflammatory properties through activation in glial cells and improves vascular function and prevent atherosclerotic disease progression. The aim of this study is evaluation of pioglitazone effects as a drug of PPAR-γ agonist on endothelial apoptosis induced by sera from AD patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were treated with sera from AD patients (n = 10) and sera from controls (n = 10). Apoptosis was identified by annexin V-propidium iodide staining and cell death detection kit. Apoptosis was evaluated after and before adding of 10 μM pioglitazone on EC. Nitrite (NO2 (-)) levels were determined in the culture supernatants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Induced apoptosis by the serum of patients was inhibited markedly when pioglitazone used before treating HUVECs with the sera of AD. Also, the measurement of nitrite concentration showed significantly greater levels of dissolved NO2/NO3 metabolite in the culture media of HUVECs treated by sera of AD patients (P < 0.05), while the rate of nitric oxide significantly decreased when pioglitazone exists in culture media.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Further studies are justified to investigate the novel role of the PPARs in the prevention of the neuronal and endothelial damage in neurological disorder and present a new therapeutic approach for Alzheimer's patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical science, Najaf Abad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dehghani
authors.forename: Rokhsareh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Meamar
authors.forename: Gholamreza
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Askari
authors.forename: Fariborz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Khorvash
authors.forename: Vahid
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Shaygannejad
authors.forename: Azam Foroughi
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Pour
authors.forename: Shaghayegh Haghjooy
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Javanmard
keywords: Alzheimer's disease; apoptosis; endothelial cell