OBJECTIVETo investigate whether Resolvin E1 (RvE1) could protect against ox-LDL-induced injury on human vein vascular endothelial cells and reveal related molecular mechanisms.

METHODSHuman vein vascular endothelial cells were randomly assigned to six groups, which were treated with saline, RvE1, wortmanin, ox-LDL, ox-LDL and RvE1, ox-LDL and RvE1 and wortmanin, respectively. After 48 h, survival rates were determined by MTT, apoptosis rate of cells were determined by flow cytometry, TNF-α contents were assayed by ELISA, caspase 3 and 9 activities were measured by microplate reader, and the expression of p-AKT and LOX-1 were determined by Western blot.

RESULTCompared with normal saline group, survival rate was markedly decreased and apoptosis rate, TNF-α content, caspase 3 and 9 activities, and the expression of LOX-1 were significantly increased in ox-LDL group (P < 0.01). Survival rate was significantly increased and apoptosis rate, TNF-α content, caspase 3 and 9 activities, and the expression of LOX-1 were significantly decreased in ox-LDL + RvE1 group compared to ox-LDL group (P < 0.01), these beneficial effects of RvE1 could be blocked by PI3K inhibitor wortmanin (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe present data showed that RvE1 could effectively protect against ox-LDL-induced endothelial cell injury, which might be mediated by PI3K-AKT signaling pathway.