Puerarin may protect against Schwann cell damage induced by glucose fluctuation.
Puerarin is one of the major active ingredients in Gegen, a traditional Chinese herb that has been reported to have a wide variety of beneficial pharmacology functions. Previous studies have implicated that the damaging effects of hyperglycemia resulting from oxidative stress and glucose fluctuation may be more dangerous than constant high glucose in the development of diabetes-related complications. The present study focuses on the effects of puerarin on glucose fluctuation-induced oxidative stress-induced Schwann cell (SC) apoptosis in vitro. Primarily cultured SCs were exposed to different conditions and the effect of puerarin on cell viability was determined by MTT assays. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and mitochondrial transmembrane potential were detected by flow cytometry analysis. Apoptosis was confirmed by the Annexin V-FITC/PI and TUNEL method. Quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction was performed to analyze the expression levels of bax and bcl-2. Western blot was performed to analyze the expression levels of some important transcription factors and proteins. The results showed that incubating SCs with intermittent high glucose for 48 h decreased cell viability and increased the number of apoptotic cells whereas treating with puerarin protected SCs against glucose fluctuation-induced cell damage. Further study demonstrated that puerarin suppressed activation of apoptosis-related proteins including PARP and caspase-3, downregulation of bcl-2, and upregulation of intracellular distribution of bax from cytosol to mitochondria, which was induced by glucose fluctuation. Moreover, puerarin inhibited the elevation of intracellular ROS and mitochondrial depolarization induced by glucose fluctuation. These results suggest that puerarin may protect SCs against glucose fluctuation-induced cell injury through inhibiting apoptosis as well as oxidative stress.
Department of Endocrinology, General Hospital of Shenyang Military Region, 83 Wenhua Rd, Shenyang, 110016, Liaoning, China.
Bing
B
Xue
Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yantaxi Rd, Xi'an, 710061, Shanxi, China.
Lin
L
Wang
Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yantaxi Rd, Xi'an, 710061, Shanxi, China.
Zhe
Z
Zhang
Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yantaxi Rd, Xi'an, 710061, Shanxi, China.
Rui
R
Wang
Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yantaxi Rd, Xi'an, 710061, Shanxi, China.
Xin-Xin
XX
Xia
Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yantaxi Rd, Xi'an, 710061, Shanxi, China.
Ping-Ping
PP
Han
Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yantaxi Rd, Xi'an, 710061, Shanxi, China.
Li-Jun
LJ
Cao
Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yantaxi Rd, Xi'an, 710061, Shanxi, China.
Yong-Hui
YH
Liu
Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yantaxi Rd, Xi'an, 710061, Shanxi, China. sunlianqing1@126.com.
Lian-Qing
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4157-6244
LQ
Sun
D000818:Animals; D017304:Annexin A5 / Q000378:metabolism; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D005947:Glucose / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D007529:Isoflavones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D053078:Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / Q000187:drug effects; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D011065:Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases / Q000378:metabolism; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D029908:Pueraria / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
D017304:Annexin A5; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C492760:FITC-annexin A5; D007529:Isoflavones; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D011065:Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases; C505410:Casp3 protein, rat; D053148:Caspase 3; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate; D005947:Glucose; C033607:puerarin
Apoptosis; Diabetic peripheral neuropathy; Glucose fluctuation; Oxidative stress; Puerarin; Schwann cell