OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective effects and mechanism of artesunate (AR) on the activation and injury of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS).

METHODSAfter HUVECs were cultured and turned to fusion manner, LPS and different concentration of AR (0.04 mg/L, 0.2 mg/L, 1 mg/L, 5 mg/L and 20 mg/L) were added respectively and co-incubated for 24 hrs. The expression of von Willebrand factor (vWF) in the conditioned media was tested by ELISA, the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM-1) protein was determined by Western blot method and the expression of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) mRNA was determined by in situ hybridization.

RESULTSAfter being exposed to 1 microg/ml LPS, vWF and ICAM-1 expression were higher than those in the control group. AR could significantly down-regulate the increased expressions concentration-dependently, significant difference showed as the concentration of AR reached 1 mg/L (P < 0.05). In situ hybridization showed that AR in 0.2 mg/L and 1 mg/L could markedly down-regulate the TNFalpha mRNA expression, showing significant difference as compared with that in LPS group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONAR has protective effect on LPS induced HUVECs activation and injury, which might be related with its inhibition on TNFalpha mRNA expression.