title: Lentivirus-mediated angiopoietin-2 gene silencing decreases TNF-α induced apoptosis of alveolar epithelium cells.
abstract: To investigate the role of angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) in tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) induced apoptosis of alveolar epithelium cells (AECs).
  
  
  
  TNF-α was used to induce human alveolar epithelial HPAEpiC cells, and Ang-2 siRNA vector was transfected to the HPAEpiC cells. RT-PCR and Western blot were used. TUNEL staining was applied to observe apoptosis, and annexin V-FITC-PI staining was used to calculate apoptosis rate.
  
  
  
  mRNA and protein expressions of Ang-2, activated Bax, and cleaved caspase-3 in HPAEpiC cells were up-regulated, but the expression level of Bcl-2 decreased (P < 0.05). After transfection of Ang-2 siRNA, mRNA and protein expressions of Ang-2, activated Bax, and cleaved caspase-3 in HPAEpiC cells were down-regulated, but the expression level of Bcl-2 increased (P < 0.05). The number of apoptotic cells increased after TNF-α treatment; however, the number decreased after Ang-2 siRNA transfection. Annexin V-FITC-PI staining verified that the total number of apoptotic cells was elevated with TNF-α treatment, but declined after transfection of Ang-2 siRNA.
  
  
  
  The expression level of Ang-2 increased during TNF-α-induced apoptosis. Inhibiting Ang-2 expression may suppress the early stages of cell apoptosis and the degree of TNF-α-induced apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical-Care Medicine, Qianfoshan Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan 250014, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Nan-Nan
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical-Care Medicine, Qianfoshan Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan 250014, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Chong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical-Care Medicine, Qianfoshan Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan 250014, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical-Care Medicine, Qianfoshan Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan 250014, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical-Care Medicine, Qianfoshan Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan 250014, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical-Care Medicine, Qianfoshan Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan 250014, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xian-Ming
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical-Care Medicine, Qianfoshan Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan 250014, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Ming
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical-Care Medicine, Qianfoshan Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan 250014, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
keywords: ARNsi; HPAEpiC cell; TNF-α; angiopoietin-2; angiopoïétine-2; apoptose; apoptosis; apoptosis-related factors; cellules HPAEpiC; facteurs reliés à l’apoptose; lentivirus; siRNA; transfection