1.Effects of glucose and free fatty acids on apoptosis of human vascular endothelial cells.
Jin SU ; Rei LIU ; Bo YANG ; Haoming TIAN
Journal of Biomedical Engineering 2006;23(1):170-174
This study sought to assess effect of high level of glucose or free fatty acids (FFAs) on apoptosis of vascular endothelial cell, and to examine whether the combined presence of high concentrations of glucose and FFAs may cross-amplify their individual detrimental effect. Cultured endothelial cell sline (ECV304) were incubated with various concentrations of glucose and/or selected FFAs (palmitate and/or oleate) for 24-96 h. Microscopic changes were observed by electron microscopy. DNA fragmentation was visualized by agarose gel electrophoresis. Apoptotic percentage of endothelial cells were determined using flow cytometry. After treatment with 30 mmol/L of glucose, 0.25 of palmitate (PA) and 0.5 mmol/L of oleate (OA) respectively, typical apoptosis morphological changes including condensed chromatin, nuclear fragmentation, reduction in volume and apoptotic bodies were observed under electron microscope, and the agarose gel electrophoresis of DNA from cells treated with high levels of glucose and FFAs revealed "Ladder" pattern. Both high concentrations of glucose and FFAs elicited apoptosis in a time- and dose-dependent manner in endothelial cells, and flow cytometry showed the cells were mainly blocked at G0/G1 phase. The apoptotic percentage of endothelial cells treated with high levels of glucose plus FFAs was significantly higher than that treated with high concentration of glucose or FFAs (PA and/or OA) alone. Both glucose and FFAs at high concentrations can induce apoptosis of endothelial cells. The combined presence of high level of glucose and FFAs may cross-amplify their individual effect.
Apoptosis
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drug effects
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Cells, Cultured
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Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
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Endothelial Cells
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cytology
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Fatty Acids, Nonesterified
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pharmacology
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Glucose
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pharmacology
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Humans
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Umbilical Cord
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cytology