Unfractionated heparin attenuates endothelial barrier dysfunction via the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase/serine/threonine kinase/nuclear factor kappa-B pathway.
10.1097/CM9.0000000000000905
- Author:
Sheng-Tian MU
1
;
Jie TANG
1
;
Jian-Qi MA
1
;
Yu ZHONG
1
;
Han-Zhe LIU
1
;
Xiao-Chun MA
2
;
Zhen ZHENG
1
Author Information
1. Department of Intensive Care Unit, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Liaoning Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shenyang, Liaoning 110042, China.
2. Department of Intensive Care Unit, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110001, China.
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- From:
Chinese Medical Journal
2020;133(15):1815-1823
- CountryChina
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND:Vascular endothelial dysfunction is considered a key pathophysiologic process for the development of acute lung injury. In this study, we aimed at investigating the effects of unfractionated heparin (UFH) on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced changes of vascular endothelial-cadherin (VE-cadherin) and the potential underlying mechanisms.
METHODS:Male C57BL/6 J mice were randomized into three groups: vehicle, LPS, and LPS + UFH groups. Intraperitoneal injection of 30 mg/kg LPS was used to induce sepsis. Mice in the LPS + UFH group received subcutaneous injection of 8 U UFH 0.5 h before LPS injection. The lung tissue of the mice was collected for assessing lung injury by measuring the lung wet/dry (W/D) weight ratio and observing histological changes. Human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (HPMECs) were cultured and used to analyze the effects of UFH on LPS- or tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)-induced vascular hyperpermeability, membrane expression of VE-cadherin, p120-catenin, and phosphorylated myosin light chain (p-MLC), and F-actin remodeling, and on the LPS-induced activation of the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K)/serine/threonine kinase (Akt)/nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) signaling pathway.
RESULTS:In vivo, UFH pretreatment significantly attenuated LPS-induced pulmonary histopathological changes (neutrophil infiltration and erythrocyte effusion, alveolus pulmonis collapse, and thicker septum), decreased the lung W/D, and increased protein concentration (LPS vs. LPS + UFH: 0.57 ± 0.04 vs. 0.32 ± 0.04 mg/mL, P = 0.0092), total cell count (LPS vs. LPS + UFH: 9.57 ± 1.23 vs. 3.65 ± 0.78 × 10/mL, P = 0.0155), polymorphonuclear neutrophil percentage (LPS vs. LPS + UFH: 88.05% ± 2.88% vs. 22.20% ± 3.92%, P = 0.0002), and TNF-α (460.33 ± 23.48 vs. 189.33 ± 14.19 pg/mL, P = 0.0006) in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. In vitro, UFH pre-treatment prevented the LPS-induced decrease in the membrane expression of VE-cadherin (LPS vs. LPS + UFH: 0.368 ± 0.044 vs. 0.716 ± 0.064, P = 0.0114) and p120-catenin (LPS vs. LPS + UFH: 0.208 ± 0.018 vs. 0.924 ± 0.092, P = 0.0016), and the LPS-induced increase in the expression of p-MLC (LPS vs. LPS + UFH: 0.972 ± 0.092 vs. 0.293 ± 0.025, P = 0.0021). Furthermore, UFH attenuated LPS- and TNF-α-induced hyperpermeability of HPMECs (LPS vs. LPS + UFH: 8.90 ± 0.66 vs. 15.84 ± 1.09 Ω·cm, P = 0.0056; TNF-α vs. TNF-α + UFH: 11.28 ± 0.64 vs. 18.15 ± 0.98 Ω·cm, P = 0.0042) and F-actin remodeling (LPS vs. LPS + UFH: 56.25 ± 1.51 vs. 39.70 ± 1.98, P = 0.0027; TNF-α vs. TNF-α + UFH: 55.42 ± 1.42 vs. 36.51 ± 1.20, P = 0.0005) in vitro. Additionally, UFH decreased the phosphorylation of Akt (LPS vs. LPS + UFH: 0.977 ± 0.081 vs. 0.466 ± 0.035, P = 0.0045) and I kappa B Kinase (IKK) (LPS vs. LPS + UFH: 1.023 ± 0.070 vs. 0.578 ± 0.044, P = 0.0060), and the nuclear translocation of NF-κB (LPS vs. LPS + UFH: 1.003 ± 0.077 vs. 0.503 ± 0.065, P = 0.0078) in HPMECs, which was similar to the effect of the PI3K inhibitor, wortmannin.
CONCLUSIONS:The protective effect of UFH against LPS-induced pulmonary endothelial barrier dysfunction involves VE-cadherin stabilization and PI3K/Akt/NF-κB signaling.
