To investigate whether low density lipoprotein (LDL), very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), oxidized LDL (OX-LDL) and VLDL (OX-VLDL) could induce the cultured human endothelial cells (ECs) to express high levels of macrophage inflammatory protein lα (MIP-lα) and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1) mRNA. LDL and VLDL were isolated from normal human blood donors by density gradient ultracentrifugation and oxidized by Cu2+. The cultured human umbilical vein ECs were incubated with native LDL, VLDL, OX- LDL and OX-VLDL respectively, for 24 h, and in the control group no lipoproteins were added. Total cellular RNA was extracted from the cultured ECs by guanidinium isothiocyanate method. The expression of MIP-lα and VCAM-1 mRNA was detected by dot blotting analysis with two probes of digoxigenin-labeled MIP-lα and VCAM-1 cDNA fragments. The results showed that the cultured ECs could express MIP-lα and VCAM-1 mRNA. Incubation of ECs with LDL and VLDL led to a slightly increased expression of MIP-1α and VCAM-1 mRNA, whereas exposure of ECs to OX-LDL and OX-VLDL resulted in a significant increase ofMIP-1α mRNA expression that was 3. 2- and 2. 5-fold as much as that of the control group, respectively, and the VCAM-1 mRNA expression was increased as well, which was 2. 6- and 2. 17-fold as much as that of the control group respectively. It was suggested that lipoproteins especially oxidized lipoproteins could induce the expression of MIP-1α and VCAM-1 mRNA in ECs, which might play an important role in the recruitment of monocytes into the intima.

AIM: To study the effect of ginsenosides on lipopolysaccharide-induced expression of tissue factor (TF) and plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1) in vascular endothelial cells (EC), and to investigate the mechanism of ginsenosides in the healthy protection and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. METHODS: Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were cultured by trypsin digestion method. PAI-1 was measured in the conditioned medium of HUVEC by a specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), whereas TF activity was measured in the lysates of these cells by a single step clotting assay. Specific mRNA expressions were determined by Northern blotting. RESULTS: Treatment of HUVEC with LPS resulted in a significant increase in PAI-1 antigen and TF activity. Ginsenosides inhibited this LPS-induced upregulation of PAI-1 protein and TF activity in HUVEC. These effects were also confirmed on the level of specific PAI-1 and TF mRNA expression by Northern blotting. CONCLUSION: Ginsenosides counteract activated endothelial cells by inhibiting LPS-induced PAI-1 and TF expression in these cells. This ability of ginsenosides might explain its efficacy in the healthy protection and the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

In order to study whether the endothelial cells (ECs) with lipid peroxidation induced by diamide can express and secrete macrophage inflammatory protein 1 alpha (MIP-1 alpha), the expression of MIP-1 alpha protein in the cells was detected by cell enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and that of MIP-1 alpha mRNA was determined by cell in situ hybridization and nuclease S1 protection assay after the ECs were exposed to different concentrations of diamide for 4 h. The chemotactic activity of MIP-1 alpha was tested by micropore filter method using modified Boyden chambers. Cell ELISA showed that the expression of MIP-1 alpha protein in endothelial cells exposed to 1 mumol/L, 5 mumol/L and 10 mumol/L diamide was 1.9-fold, 2.3-fold and 1.7-fold respectively as much as that in the control cells, which was statistically significant by analysis of variance. In situ hybridization revealed that the mRNA expression of ECs treated with 1 mumol/L, 5 mumol/L and 10 mumol/L diamide was 1.3-fold, 3.0-fold and 1.7-fold as much as that in the control group, which had statistical significance (F = 188.93, P < 0.01). The mRNA expression in 5 mumol/L dimide treated ECs, measured by nuclease S1 protection assay, was 3.4-fold as much as that in the control group (t = 8.70, P < 0.05). Chemotactic response(99.50 +/- 4.31 microns) to the culture medium conditioned by 5 mumol/L diamide treated ECs, which was stronger than that(66.47 +/- 3.25 microns) conditioned by the ECs (F = 404.31, P < 0.05), was significantly decreased (F = 192.25, P < 0.05) after adding MIP-1 alpha antibody. It suggests that diamide, a lipid peroxidation inducer, could stimulate ECs to produce high level of MIP-1 alpha, and might play an important role in atherogenesis by promoting the migration of peripheral blood monocytes into arterial intima.
Cells, Cultured ; Chemotaxis, Leukocyte/physiology ; Diamide/*pharmacology ; Endothelium, Vascular/cytology ; Endothelium, Vascular/*metabolism ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Macrophage Inflammatory Protein-1/*biosynthesis ; Macrophage Inflammatory Protein-1/genetics ; RNA, Messenger/biosynthesis ; RNA, Messenger/genetics ; Sulfhydryl Reagents/pharmacology ; Umbilical Veins/cytology

AIM: To investigate the effect of homocysteine (HCY) on the induction of macrophage inflammatory protein-1? (MIP-1?) expression in cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). METHODS: After exposure of the cultured HUVECs to HCY at increasing concentrations (0.1, 0.5 and 1 mmol/L) for 8 h, the MIP-1? mRNA expression was determined by in situ hybridization using a MIP-1? cDNA probe, and the MIP-1? protein expression was measured by cell enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using a goat anti-human MIP-1? monoclonal antibody. RESULTS: The in situ hybridization showed that cultured HUVECs were able to express MIP-1? mRNA at a low level that was purplish blue granules in cytoplasm. After exposure to HCY at the concentrations mentioned above, the expression of MIP-1? mRNA was significantly increased in a dose-dependent manner. Analysis of variance showed that there was significant difference between groups ( F= 606.38, P

To investigate whether interleukin-1β(IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induce expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1)mRNA and protein in calf aortic smooth muscle cells(SMCs), calf aortic SMCs were cultured by a substrate-attached explant method. The cultured SMCs were used between the third to the fifth passage. After the cells became confluent, the SMCs were exposed to 2 ng/ml IL- 1β, 20 ng/mlTNF-lα and 100 ng/ml LPS respectively, and the total RNA of SMCs which were incubated for 4h at 37℃ were extracted from the cells by using guanidinium isothiocyanate method. The expression of MCP-1 mRNA in SMCs was detected by using dot blotting analysis using a probe of γ-32p-end-labelled 35-mer oligonucleotide. After a 24-h incubation, the media conditioned by the cultured SMCs were collected. The MCP-1 protein content in the conditioned media was determined by using sandwich ELISA. The results were as follows: Dot blotting analysis showed that the cultured SMCs could express MCP-1 mRNA. After a 4-h exposure to IL-Iβ, TNF-α and LPS, the MCP-1 mRNA expression in SMCs was increased (3.6-fold, 2.3-fold and 1.6-fold, respectively).ELISA showed that the levels of MCP-1 protein in the conditioned media were also increased (2.9-fold, 1.7-fold and 1.1-fold, respectively ). The results suggest that calf aortic SMCs could express MCP-1 mRNA and protein. IL-1β and TNF-α can induce strong expression of MCP- 1mRNA and protein, and the former is more effective than the latter.

Plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) is one of important coagulant factors. Endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induces thrombosis by stimulating PAI-1 secretion of vascular cells (EC). Using sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Northern blot, was investigated the effects of Chinese medicine ligustrazini on PAI-1 expression in EC and LPS-stimulated EC. The results showed that ligustrazini inhibited both basal and LPS-induced PAI-1 mRNA expression in EC. The effect of ligustrazini on LPS-induced PAI-1 secretion worked in a dose-dependent manner. This study provided theoretic and experimental evidence for use of ligustrazini against septic shock and cardiovascular diseases.

To investigate whether interleukin-1β(IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induce expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1)mRNA and protein in calf aortic smooth muscle cells(SMCs), calf aortic SMCs were cultured by a substrate-attached explant method. The cultured SMCs were used between the third to the fifth passage. After the cells became confluent, the SMCs were exposed to 2 ng/ml IL- 1β, 20 ng/mlTNF-lα and 100 ng/ml LPS respectively, and the total RNA of SMCs which were incubated for 4h at 37℃ were extracted from the cells by using guanidinium isothiocyanate method. The expression of MCP-1 mRNA in SMCs was detected by using dot blotting analysis using a probe of γ-32p-end-labelled 35-mer oligonucleotide. After a 24-h incubation, the media conditioned by the cultured SMCs were collected. The MCP-1 protein content in the conditioned media was determined by using sandwich ELISA. The results were as follows: Dot blotting analysis showed that the cultured SMCs could express MCP-1 mRNA. After a 4-h exposure to IL-Iβ, TNF-α and LPS, the MCP-1 mRNA expression in SMCs was increased (3.6-fold, 2.3-fold and 1.6-fold, respectively).ELISA showed that the levels of MCP-1 protein in the conditioned media were also increased (2.9-fold, 1.7-fold and 1.1-fold, respectively ). The results suggest that calf aortic SMCs could express MCP-1 mRNA and protein. IL-1β and TNF-α can induce strong expression of MCP- 1mRNA and protein, and the former is more effective than the latter.

Plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) is one of important coagulant factors. Endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induces thrombosis by stimulating PAI-1 secretion of vascular cells (EC). Using sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Northern blot, was investigated the effects of Chinese medicine ligustrazini on PAI-1 expression in EC and LPS-stimulated EC. The results showed that ligustrazini inhibited both basal and LPS-induced PAI-1 mRNA expression in EC. The effect of ligustrazini on LPS-induced PAI-1 secretion worked in a dose-dependent manner. This study provided theoretic and experimental evidence for use of ligustrazini against septic shock and cardiovascular diseases.

By study on the effect of anisodamine on lipopolysaccharide-induced expression of tissue factor (TF) in vascular endothelial cells (EC), the mechanism of anisodamine antithrombosis, as well as in the treatment of bacteraemic shock was investigated. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were cultured by trypsin digestion method. TF activity was measured in the lysates of HUVEC by using a single step clotting assay. Specific mRNA expression was detected by Northern blotting. In order to evaluate a possible contribution of the nuclear factor (NF)-kappa B pathway on the effects observed, electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA) were performed using nuclear extracts from HUVECs and NF-kappa B-binding oligonucleotides. The results showed that treatment of HUVEC with LPS resulted in a significant increase in TF activity. Anisodamine dose-dependently inhibited LPS-induced upregulation of TF. These effects was also confirmed on the level of specific TF mRNA expression by Northern blotting. Furthermore, EMSA showed that anisodamine completely abolished LPS-induced NF-kappa B DNA binding activity in nuclear extracts from HUVECs treated with LPS together with anisodamine. The results suggest that anisodamine counteracts endothelial cell activation by inhibiting LPS-induced TF expression in these cells. Its interference with the NF-kappa B pathway might--at least in part--contribute to this effect. The ability of anisodamine to counteract LPS effect on endothelial cells might be one underlying mechanism explaining its antithrombosis and efficacy in the treatment of bacteraemic shock.
Cells, Cultured ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay ; Endothelium, Vascular ; metabolism ; Humans ; Lipopolysaccharides ; NF-kappa B ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Solanaceous Alkaloids ; pharmacology ; Thromboplastin ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Umbilical Veins ; cytology

To construct the eukaryotic expression plasmid of human PRX3 and measure its expression in the HEK-293FT cells, the full-length coding region of human PRX3 was cloned by PCR and inserted into the eukaryotic expression vector pcDNA4-Xpress (A). HEK-293FT cells were transiently transfected with the recombinant plasmid. Western blot and immuofluorescence were used to detect the expression of the fusion protein. In the experiment, restriction analysis identified the construction of the recombinant plasmid and the inserted sequence was identical with that published on GenBank. Western blot and immunofluorescence confirmed the expression of the recombinant protein in transfected HEK-293FT cells. It was concluded that the eukaryotic expression plasmid of human PRX3 was constructed successfully and the recombinant could be expressed efficiently in HEK-293FT cells, which provides a sound basis for the further study on human PRX3.
Cell Line, Transformed ; Cloning, Molecular ; Embryo ; Eukaryotic Cells/*metabolism ; Gene Expression ; Genetic Vectors ; Kidney/cytology ; Kidney/*metabolism ; Peroxidases/*biosynthesis ; Peroxidases/genetics ; Plasmids/*genetics ; Transfection