Effects Of Berberine On The Apoptosis Of NIT-1 Cells Induced By High Glucose And Saturated Fatty Acids

Part I The Influence of Berberine at Different Concentrations on the Growth of NIT-1 CellsObjectiveTo investigate the influence of berberine on the growth of NIT-1 cells.MethodsThe NIT-1 cells were cultured in vitro for 24 hours with different concentrations of berberine, and the difference of NIT-1 cells growth rate among different groups were detected by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT).ResultsMTT results showed that the influence of berberine at different concentrations on NIT-1 cells was dose-dependent: low dose(1μmol/L) had dispensable cytotoxicity (P=0.03) but high dose showed distinct affection. When the concentration of berbeine raised up to 300μmol/L, the survival rate of NIT-1 cells was less than 30% of the normal group.ConclusionThe influence of berberine at different concentrations on NIT-1 cells was dose-dependent: low dose (1μmol/L) had negligible cytotoxicity but high dose showed distinct affection. Part II Effects of Berberine on the Apoptosis of NIT-1 Cells Induced by High Glucose and Saturated Fatty AcidsObjectiveTo investigate the effects of berberine on the apoptosis of NIT-1 cells induced by high glucose and saturated fatty acid.MethodsThe influence of high glucose and & or saturated fatty acid on NIT-1 cells, including adding proper concentrations of berberine to the culturing mixture, were determined and compared using MTT colorimeric assay. And the cell apoptotic rate among different groups was determined by flow cytometry assay and in situ TUNEL method.ResultsThe influence of high glucose or saturated fatty acid alone on NIT-1 cells for 24 hours were negligible by MTT. However, the growth of NIT-1 cells was evident inhibited by the co-culture with high glucose and saturated fatty acids, and the survival rate was less than 20% of the normal group. In comparison with the model group, the survival rate of NIT-1 cells was elevated in berberine treated groups (P<0.01). The similar anti-apoptotic effect of metformin on NIT-1 cells was also observed. It was demonstrated that berberine could alleviate the apoptosis of NIT-1 cells induced by high glucose and saturated fatty acids according to the data obtained from FCA and TUNEL examination.ConclusionIt was suggested that berberine could inhibit the apoptosis of NIT-1 cells induced by high glucose and saturated fatty acid, through two quantitative assay for the determination of apoptosis. The anti-apoptotic effect of berberine on pancreaticβcells might be one of therapeutic machanisms of berbeine for treating T2DM.