Oleanolic acid protects against oxidative stress‑induced human umbilical vein endothelial cell injury by activating AKT/eNOS signaling

Zhang,Wei; Feng,Jian; Cheng,Biao; Lu,Qing; Chen,Xiaoping

doi:10.3892/mmr.2018.9354

Oleanolic acid protects against oxidative stress‑induced human umbilical vein endothelial cell injury by activating AKT/eNOS signaling

Authors:
- Wei Zhang
- Jian Feng
- Biao Cheng
- Qing Lu
- Xiaoping Chen
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Affiliations: Department of Geriatric Cardiovascular Medicine, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences and Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan 610072, P.R. China, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, P.R. China, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
Published online on: August 3, 2018 https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2018.9354
Pages: 3641-3648
Copyright: © Zhang et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

Oxidative injury of vascular endothelial cells in the initial event of atherosclerosis (AS) in diabetes was assessed in the present study. The antioxidant effect of oleanolic acid (OA) has attracted much attention. In the present study the potential effects of OA on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were investigated. Cell viability was examined using the CCK‑8 assay. The activity of oxidative stress parameters was determined using commercial kits. Flow cytometry analysis was performed to detect the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and cell apoptosis. The expression levels of target genes and proteins were examined by reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‑qPCR) and western blot analysis. It was indicated that cell viability that was suppressed by high glucose was increased by the pretreatment of OA, and nitric oxide (NO) generation, the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) were recovered by OA. By contrast, it was observed that OA decreased the MDA content. Notably, the pretreatment of OA alleviated mitochondria damage by reducing the level of ROS and maintaining MMP. In addition, apoptosis that was caused by high glucose was reduced by OA. Pro‑apoptotic genes (caspase‑3, Fas, Fasl) and anti‑apoptotic gene (Bcl‑2) expression levels were decreased and increased in the OA groups, respectively. Furthermore, the activity of AKT/endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) signaling was elevated by OA. Taken together, it was suggested that OA could protect against oxidative stress‑induced apoptosis of HUVECs, which was associated with AKT/eNOS signaling pathway.

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