Effects of propyl gallate on adhesion of polymorphonuclear leukocytes to human endothelial cells induced by tumor necrosis factor alpha

A literature review of the studies concerning selected plant-derived adaptogens and their general function in body with a focus on animal studies

BACKGROUND

Adaptogens are generally referred to the substances, mostly found in plants, which non-specifically increase resilience and chances of survival by activation of signaling pathways in affected cells.

PURPOSE

This literature review was conducted to summarize the investigation, until March 2021, on selected adaptogenic plants and plant-derived substances.

STUDY DESIGN

Electronic databases were searched (up to March 2021) for in vitro and animal studies, as well as clinical trials. Moreover, all modes of action connected with the adaptogenic effects of plants and phytochemicals were collected.

METHODS

The search of relevant studies was performed within electronic databases including Scopus, Science Direct, PubMed, and Cochrane library. The most important keywords were adaptogen, plant, phytochemical, and plant-derived.

RESULTS

The most investigated medicinal herbs for their adaptogenic activity are Eleutherococcus senticosus, Panax ginseng, Withania somnifera, Schisandra chinensis, and Rhodiola spp., salidroside, ginsenosides, andrographolide, methyl jasmonate, cucurbitacin R, dichotosin, and dichotosininare are phytochemicals that have shown a considerable adaptogenic activity. Phytochemicals that have been demonstrated adaptogenic properties mainly belong to flavonoids, terpenoids, and phenylpropanoid glycosides.

CONCLUSION

It is concluded that the main modes of action of the selected adaptogenic plants are stress modulatory, antioxidant, anti-fatigue, and physical endurance enhancement. Other properties were nootropic, immunomodulatory, cardiovascular, and radioprotective activities.

Bazedoxifene Plays a Protective Role against Inflammatory Injury of Endothelial Cells by Targeting CD40

The inflammatory response and oxidative stress play key roles in the formation and development of atherosclerosis. Bazedoxifene is a new IL6/GP130 inhibitor recommended by the FDA for clinical use as a selective estrogen receptor modulator. However, its role in cardiovascular diseases has been poorly studied. In our study, we explored the mechanism of bazedoxifene's protective effect against inflammatory injury of vascular endothelial cells (VECs) stimulated by TNF-α. Various methods were used to verify the effect of bazedoxifene on VECs, including a cell viability assay, a wound healing assay, immunofluorescence staining, and western blotting. Our results showed that TNF-α could induce inflammatory damage to VECs, which manifested as upregulated expression of CD40, increased production of ROS, enhanced adhesion of THP-1 cells to VECs, and impaired viability and migration of VECs, while bazedoxifene could significantly reduce the endothelial damage caused by TNF-α. In addition, we found that an siRNA targeting CD40 dramatically alleviated the VEC damage induced by TNF-α. Therefore, we explored the potential relationship between bazedoxifene and CD40. Our data suggest that bazedoxifene has a protective effect against VEC damage induced by TNF-α and that its underlying mechanism may be related to the regulation of CD40.

HSPA12B inhibits lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory response in human umbilical vein endothelial cells

Heat shock protein A12B (HSPA12B) is a newly discovered member of the HSP70 protein family. This study investigated the effects of HSPA12B on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory responses in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and the possible mechanisms involved. A HUVECs inflammatory model was induced by LPS. Overexpression of HSPA12B in HUVECs was achieved by infection with recombinant adenoviruses encoding green fluorescence protein-HSPA12B. Knockdown of HSPA12B was achieved by siRNA technique. Twenty four hours after virus infection or siRNA transfection, HUVECs were stimulated with 1 μg/ml LPS for 4 hrs. Endothelial cell permeability ability was determined by transwell permeability assay. The binding rate of human neutrophilic polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN) with HUVECs was examined using myeloperoxidase assay. Cell migrating ability was determined by the wound-healing assay. The mRNA and protein expression levels of interested genes were analyzed by RT-qPCR and Western blot, respectively. The release of cytokines interleukin-6 and tumour necrosis factor-α was measured by ELISA. HSPA12B suppressed LPS-induced HUVEC permeability and reduced PMN adhesion to HUVECs. HSPA12B also inhibited LPS-induced up-regulation of adhesion molecules and inflammatory cytokine expression. By contrast, knockdown of HSPA12B enhanced LPS-induced increases in the expression of adhesion molecules and inflammatory cytokines. Moreover, HSPA12B activated PI3K/Akt signalling pathway and pharmacological inhibition of this pathway by Wortmannin completely abrogated the protection of HSPA12B against inflammatory response in HUVECs. Our results suggest that HSPA12B attenuates LPS-induced inflammatory responses in HUVECs via activation of PI3K/Akt signalling pathway.

Effect of chinese herbal drug-containing serum for activating-blood and dispelling-toxin on ox-LDL-induced inflammatory factors' expression in endothelial cells

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effects of drug-containing serum of Chinese herbal compound, Xiongshao Capsule (, XS, for activating-blood) and Huanglian Capsule (, HL, for dispellingtoxin) on the oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL)-induced inflammatory factors in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs).

METHODS

Thirty-two rats were randomly divided into four groups: the blank control group treated with distilled water, the positive control group treated with simvastatin (1.8 mg/kg), the test group I treated with Chinese herbal compound of XS (0.135 g/kg), and the test group II treated with Chinese herbal compound of XS (0.135 g/kg) and HL (0.135 g/kg). All the treatments were administered for 7 successive days by gastrogavage. Rats' blood serum was harvested 1 h after the last administration to prepare respective drugcontaining serum. HUVECs were exposed to ox-LDL (100 μg/mL) to induce cell injury model and incubated with corresponding drug-containing serum for 24 h. Untreated HUVECs were set for blank control. Levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) in supernatant of cultured HUVECs were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). HUVEC surface expressions of ICAM-1 and E-selectin were determined by flow cytometry.

RESULTS

Levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and sICAM-1 in the supernatant of HUVECs as well as the cell surface expressions of ICAM-1 and E-selectin significantly increased after 24-h ox-LDL stimulation (P<0.01), while the abnormal elevations, except sICAM-1 in the test group I, were all reduced in the treated groups (the positive control and the two test groups) significantly (P<0.01 or P<0.05). Besides, the effect in the test group II seemed somewhat higher than that in the test group I but with no statistical significance (P>0.05).

CONCLUSION

Drug-containing serum of XS plus HL has a certain inhibitory effect on the vascular endothelial inflammation response induced by ox-LDL.

[Effects of Chinese herbal drug-containing serum on oxidative damage and apoptosis of umbilical vein endothelial cells induced by oxidized low-density lipoprotein]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effects of Chinese herbal drug-containing serum, prepared by administration of Chinese herbal medicine for activating blood (Xiongshao Capsule, XS) or for activating blood and detoxifying (Xiongshao Capsule plus Huanglian Capsule, XSHL) in rats, on cell viability, oxidative damage and apoptosis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) induced by oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL).

METHODS

Thirty-two rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: control group, positive control group (simvastatin 1.8 mg/kg), activating blood (XS, 0.135 g/kg) group, and activating blood and detoxifying (XS Capsule 0.135 g/kg and Huanglian Capsule 0.135 g/kg, XSHL) group. Corresponding drugs were continuously administered to the rats for 7 days and then drug-containing serum was harvested 1 hour after the last administration. HUVECs isolated from newborn children by collagenase digestion were stimulated by ox-LDL (100 μg/mL) [corrected] and incubated with corresponding drug-containing serum for 24 hours. Untreated HUVECs were also used as a normal control. The morphology and structure of HUVECs were observed by an inverted microscope. Cell viability was measured by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium method, and cell membrane damage was determined by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage. Activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) was examined by spectrophotometry, and content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the cell lysate was examined by thiobarbituric acid assay. HUVECs were stained with Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate and propidium iodide and analyzed on a flow cytometry to determine apoptosis.

RESULTS

Compared with the normal HUVECs, the cell viability and the activity of SOD were significantly decreased while the content of MDA and apoptosis rate were significantly increased after 24-hour ox-LDL stimulation (P<0.01, P<0.05). Simvastatin-, XS-, and XSHL-containing serum significantly promoted the ox-LDL-stimulated HUVEC viability and inhibited early apoptosis (P<0.01, P<0.05), while had no significant effect on LDH leakage. Simvastatin-containing serum and XS-containing serum also showed significant decrease in MDA content and increase in SOD activity, while XSHL-containing serum showed no significant effects. There was no significant difference between the XS-containing serum group and the XSHL-containing serum group.

CONCLUSION

Both sera containing XSHL and XS show protective action against the oxidative damage and apoptosis of HUVECs induced by ox-LDL.