title: Tanshinone II-A is protective against human umbilical vein endothelial cell injury after exposure to serum from preeclampsia patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Preeclampsia (PE) is one of the most common and dangerous complications during pregnancy and is characterized by high blood pressure and significant amounts of protein in the urine. Vascular endothelial cell dysfunction is the major pathology in PE. This study was designed to assay the effects of tanshinone II-A (TII-A) on human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) injury after incubation with serum from PE patients and to determine the underlying mechanism.
  
  
  METHODS
  After treating HUVECs with different TII-A concentrations, cell viability, apoptosis and CD40/CD40 ligand (CD40L) mRNA and protein expression levels were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Incubation of HUVECs with serum from PE patients induced morphological alterations, caused decreased cell viability and increased the rate of apoptosis. However, TII-A (5-40 μg/ml) significantly reversed these injuries. Importantly, preapplication of TII-A attenuated PE sera-induced expression of CD40 and CD40L mRNA and protein.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TII-A has a protective effect against PE sera, likely through regulation of the CD40/CD40L signal transduction pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
authors.forename: ChunFeng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: RenFang
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sui
authors.forename: ShuYuan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: JingXia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D045784:Abietanes / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D023201:CD40 Ligand / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D003470:Culture Media; D005260:Female; D061307:Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011247:Pregnancy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D045784:Abietanes; D003470:Culture Media; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C021751:tanshinone; D023201:CD40 Ligand