title: The effect of puerarin against IL-1β-mediated leukostasis and apoptosis in retinal capillary endothelial cells (TR-iBRB2).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Blood-retinal barrier (BRB) breakdown, the early hallmark of diabetic retinopathy (DR), is thought to depend on retinal inflammation and cell damage. The proinflammatory factor interleukin-1β (IL-1β) was demonstrated to cause inflammation as well as cell apoptosis during the process of BRB breakdown. This study extensively evaluated the protective effect of puerarin, a major active component extracted from the traditional herb Radix puerariae, against IL-1β-induced cell dysfunction in TR-iBRB2 cells, a retinal capillary endothelial cell line.
  
  
  METHODS
  TR-iBRB2 cells were pretreated with IL-1β (10 ng/ml) for 24 h and then exposed to puerarin (0, 10, 25, and 50 μM) for another 24 h. Leukocyte endothelial adhesion was assessed through a cell-based assay using lymphoblastoid cells. Cell apoptosis was evaluated with flow cytometry, and the expression of adhesion molecules and apoptosis-related molecules was assessed with western blot analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our data showed that puerarin attenuated IL-1β-mediated leukostasis and cell apoptosis in TR-iBRB2 cells. Furthermore, puerarin strikingly prevented IL-1β-induced molecular events of the upstream and downstream signaling pathways involved in this cellular process.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings may significantly contribute to better understanding of the protective effect of puerarin, in particular for DR, as well as provide novel insights into the potential application of this compound in DR therapy.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine, Ministry of Health, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Nuclear Medicine, Jiangsu Institute of Nuclear Medicine. Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Xue
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine, Ministry of Health, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Nuclear Medicine, Jiangsu Institute of Nuclear Medicine. Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Minhao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine, Ministry of Health, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Nuclear Medicine, Jiangsu Institute of Nuclear Medicine. Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Ke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine, Ministry of Health, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Nuclear Medicine, Jiangsu Institute of Nuclear Medicine. Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine, Ministry of Health, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Nuclear Medicine, Jiangsu Institute of Nuclear Medicine. Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Save Sight Institute, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Fanfan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D045304:Cytochromes c / Q000378:metabolism; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000188:drug therapy; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D007529:Isoflavones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018921:Leukostasis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D051381:Rats; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D007529:Isoflavones; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D045304:Cytochromes c; C033607:puerarin