Pyrroloquinoline quinone protects mouse brain endothelial cells from high glucose-induced damage in vitro
Abstract
Zhong WANG1, #, Guo-qiang CHEN1, #, Gui-ping YU1, *, Chang-jian LIU2
1Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The Affiliated Jiangyin Hospital of Southeast University, Jiangyin 214400, China; 2Department of Vascular Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing 210008, China
Aim: To investigate the effects of pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ), an oxidoreductase cofactor, on high glucose-induced mouse endothelial cell damage in vitro.
Methods: Mouse brain microvascular endothelial bEND.3 cells were exposed to different glucose concentrations (5.56, 25 and 40 mmol/L) for 24 or 48 h. The cell viability was examined using MTT assay. Flow cytometry was used to analyze the apoptosis and ROS levels in the cells. MitoTracker Green staining was used to examine the mitochondria numbers in the cells. Western blot analysis was used to analyze the expression of HIF-1α and the proteins in JNK pathway
Results: Treatment of bEND.3 cells with high glucose significantly decreased the cell viability, while addition of PQQ (1 and 10 μmol/L) reversed the high glucose-induced cell damage in a concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, PQQ (100 μmol/L) significantly suppressed the high glucose-induced apoptosis and ROS production in the cells. PQQ significantly reversed the high glucose-induced reduction in both the mitochondrial membrane potential and mitochondria number in the cells. The high glucose treatment significantly increased the expression of HIF-1α and JNK phosphorylation in the cells, and addition of PQQ led to a further increase of HIF-1α level and a decrease of JNK phosphorylation. Addition of JNK inhibitor SP600125 (10 μmol/L) also significantly suppressed high glucose-induced apoptosis and JNK phosphorylation in bEND.3 cells.
Conclusion: PQQ protects mouse brain endothelial cells from high glucose damage in vitro by suppressing intracellular ROS and apoptosis via inhibiting JNK signaling pathway.
Keywords: diabetes mellitus; pyrroloquinoline quinone; oxidoreductase cofactor; high glucose; endothelial cell; ROS; HIF-1α; JNK
# These authors contributed equally to this study.
* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
E-mail xiaoyuer97103@163.com
Received 2013-12-02 Accepted 2014-01-14
Keywords:
1Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The Affiliated Jiangyin Hospital of Southeast University, Jiangyin 214400, China; 2Department of Vascular Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing 210008, China
Aim: To investigate the effects of pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ), an oxidoreductase cofactor, on high glucose-induced mouse endothelial cell damage in vitro.
Methods: Mouse brain microvascular endothelial bEND.3 cells were exposed to different glucose concentrations (5.56, 25 and 40 mmol/L) for 24 or 48 h. The cell viability was examined using MTT assay. Flow cytometry was used to analyze the apoptosis and ROS levels in the cells. MitoTracker Green staining was used to examine the mitochondria numbers in the cells. Western blot analysis was used to analyze the expression of HIF-1α and the proteins in JNK pathway
Results: Treatment of bEND.3 cells with high glucose significantly decreased the cell viability, while addition of PQQ (1 and 10 μmol/L) reversed the high glucose-induced cell damage in a concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, PQQ (100 μmol/L) significantly suppressed the high glucose-induced apoptosis and ROS production in the cells. PQQ significantly reversed the high glucose-induced reduction in both the mitochondrial membrane potential and mitochondria number in the cells. The high glucose treatment significantly increased the expression of HIF-1α and JNK phosphorylation in the cells, and addition of PQQ led to a further increase of HIF-1α level and a decrease of JNK phosphorylation. Addition of JNK inhibitor SP600125 (10 μmol/L) also significantly suppressed high glucose-induced apoptosis and JNK phosphorylation in bEND.3 cells.
Conclusion: PQQ protects mouse brain endothelial cells from high glucose damage in vitro by suppressing intracellular ROS and apoptosis via inhibiting JNK signaling pathway.
Keywords: diabetes mellitus; pyrroloquinoline quinone; oxidoreductase cofactor; high glucose; endothelial cell; ROS; HIF-1α; JNK
# These authors contributed equally to this study.
* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
E-mail xiaoyuer97103@163.com
Received 2013-12-02 Accepted 2014-01-14