title: Berberine Protects Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells against LPS-Induced Apoptosis by Blocking JNK-Mediated Signaling.
abstract: Endothelial dysfunction is a critical factor during the initiation of atherosclerosis. Berberine has a beneficial effect on endothelial function; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of berberine on lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) induced apoptosis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and the molecular mechanisms mediating the effect. The effects of berberine on LPS-induced cell apoptosis and viability were measured with 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine staining, flow cytometry, and Cell Counting Kit-8 assays. The expression and/or activation of proapoptotic and antiapoptotic proteins or signaling pathways, including caspase-3, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, myeloid cell leukemia-1 (MCL-1), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, C-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and extracellular signal-regulated kinase, were determined with western blotting. The malondialdehyde levels, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and production of proinflammatory cytokines were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The results demonstrated that berberine pretreatment protected HUVECs from LPS-induced apoptosis, attenuated LPS-induced injury, inhibited LPS-induced JNK phosphorylation, increased MCL-1 expression and SOD activity, and decreased proinflammatory cytokine production. The effects of berberine on LPS-treated HUVECs were prevented by SP600125, a JNK-specific inhibitor. Thus, berberine might be a potential candidate in the treatment of endothelial cell injury-related vascular diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, Zhejiang University City College School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310015, China.
authors.forename: Junping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310014, China.
authors.forename: Lijun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, Zhejiang University City College School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310015, China.
authors.forename: Linyao
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, Zhejiang University City College School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310015, China.
authors.forename: Senmi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, Zhejiang University City College School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310015, China.
authors.forename: Dayong
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-1537-1704
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, Zhejiang University City College School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310015, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, Zhejiang University City College School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310015, China.
authors.forename: Jianping
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-9636-1561
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pan