Propofol attenuates hydrogenperoxide-induced apoptosis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells via multiple signaling pathways.
BACKGROUND
Propofol has been reported to protect vascular endothelial cells against oxidative stress. In this study we investigated its effect on hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced apoptosis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and examined the possible signaling pathways.


METHODS
HUVECs were pretreated with propofol (1, 5, 25, and 50 µM) for 30 min and then co-incubated with 0.4 mM H2O2 for 4 h. Cell viability was assessed using a Cell Counting Kit-8. Cell apoptosis was analyzed using flow cytometry with annexin V/propidium iodide staining, and evaluated by quantifying caspase-3, Bax, and Bcl-2 expression levels. The expression levels of p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK), phosphorylated (p)-p38 MAPK, cJun-N-terminal kinases (JNK), phosphorylated (p)-JNK, Akt and phosphorylated Akt [(p)-Akt] (Ser473) were measured by western blotting.


RESULTS
H2O2 treatment induced the activation of caspase-3, downregulated Bcl-2 expression, and up-regulated Bax expression, all of which were dose-dependently attenuated by propofol pretreatment. Furthermore, propofol significantly ameliorated H2O2-induced phosphorylation of p38 MAPK, JNK, and Akt in HUVECs.


CONCLUSIONS
Propofol can protect HUVECs against H2O2-induced apoptosis via a mechanism that may involve p38 MAPK, JNK, and Akt signaling pathways.
Department of Anesthesiology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China. ; Department of Anesthesiology, Huai'an Second Hospital Affiliated to Xuzhou Medical College, Huai'an, China.
Cheng Lan
CL
Xie
Department of Anesthesiology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
Yin Bing
YB
Pan
Department of Anesthesiology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
Liu Qing
LQ
Hu
Department of Anesthesiology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
Yan Ning
YN
Qian
Apoptosis; Human umbilical vein endothelial cell; Hydrogen peroxide; Propofol