Protective Effects Of Blueberry Anthocyanin On AngⅡ-induced Apoptosis To Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells

Background: Vascular endothelial cells (VEC) cover the vascular intimalsurface as a barrier between the blood and tissues, can synthesize and secrete avariety of biologically active substances, play an important role in maintainhomeostasis balance, but susceptible to the inflammatory cytokines in thecirculating blood, which could induce apoptosis and injury to the VEC. Thestudy found that the VEC apoptosis plays a vital role in the occurrence anddevelopment of cardiovascular diseases, especially in the atherosclerosis (AS).VEC injury and apoptosis is the initiate link of the formation of AS, it alsoparticipate in the development of AS. Therefore, from the cellular andmolecular levels, the research of VEC apoptosis is one of the crucial subjects ofprevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.Angiotensin Ⅱ is the most important vasoactive substance of Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System (RAAS). Ang II plays a direct effect onvasoconstriction, and it is an important contributing factor to cardiovasculardiseases. Studies have shown that Ang II induced vascular endothelial cellinjury and induction of apoptosis, to bring about ROS, ox-LDL, results inoxidative stress, involved in the generation and development of AS.Atherosclerosis is the common pathological basis of many cardiovascular andcerebrovascular diseases, serious harm to human health. Its incidence,morbidity and mortality rates is in the first place for all diseases in theworldwide, therefore, prevention of AS become the most fundamental measureof prevention and treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Thus, the research of adopt fewer side effects of the plant extracts used inanti-apoptotic, prevention of AS has great significance.Objective: Investigate the protective effect and mechanism of blueberryanthocyanin on endothelial cells from the cell proliferation activity, apoptosisrate and apoptosis-related protein expression.Methods:Chosen human umbilical vein endothelial cells, conventional recovery andpassaged, setup HUVEC apoptosis model.(1) Cell groups: in vitro cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVEC) were divided into control group(Control), Ang Ⅱ group(AngⅡ),blueberry anthocyanin Group(BBA), Ang Ⅱ+blueberry anthocyaningroup(AngⅡ+BBA);(2) Determine the drug concentration for the next experiment: Using MTTassay to check out cell activity, determine the optimal concentration of AngⅡin inducing HUVEC apoptosis and the effectively protect concentration ofblueberry anthocyanin;(3) Cell apoptosis were detected by Annexin V-FITC-labeled flowcytometry;(4) Using Western Blot to detect the expression of Bcl-2, Bax andCaspase-3protein;(5) Detect the intracellular ROS level.Results：HUVEC apoptosis was significantly increased after AngⅡ stimulated.Compared to AngⅡ group, Bcl-2protein level of the AngⅡ+BBA Group wassignificantly increased, the expression of Bax and Caspase-3protein decreased,the intracellular ROS level also in a downward trend. Conclusions:1. Ang Ⅱ can induce cultured endothelial cells apoptosis.2. Ang Ⅱ induced HUVEC apoptosis, may be related to the imbalanceexpression of Bcl-2and Bax protein and Caspase-3activation.3. Blueberry anthocyanin has inhibition effect of HUVEC apoptosis, theblueberry anthocyanin can protect vascular endothelial cells, which plays a rolein anti-atherosclerosis.