ABSTRACT
AIM:To study the effect of crocin on the mobilization of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in the peripheral blood of the mice with carotid arterial injury and its mechanism.METHODS:The carotid artery injury model of the C57BL/6 mice was established by the method of wire injury.The animals were divided into sham operation group,saline-treated model group,and low dose,medium dose and high dose (10,50 and 100 μ mol· kg-1 · L-1,respectively) of crocin treatment groups.The mobilization of the EPCs in peripheral blood of the mice with carotid artery injury was detected by flow cytometry at 3 d.The changes of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF),stromal-derived factor-1 (SDF-1),basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF),epidermal growth factor (EGF) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in the peripheral blood of the mice with carotid artery injury were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay at 7 d.The vascular re-endothelialization and intimal hyperplasia of the mice with carotid artery injury were detected by Evans blue and hematoxylin-eosin staining.At the same time,real-time PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression of vascular repair factor-related receptors,vascular endothelial growth factor receotor-2 (VEGFR-2),CXC chemokine receptor-4 (CXCR4),basic fibroblast growth factor receptor (bFGFR) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR),in the injured segments of carotid arteries.RESULTS:Compared with sham group,the EPCs mobilization and the content of vascular repair factors VEGF,SDF-1,bFGF,EGF and MMP-9 in peripheral blood were increased in model group (P ＜0.05).The area of vascular endothelium was decreased,while the area of intimal hyperplasia and the ratio of intimal to medial membrane area were increased significantly (P ＜ 0.05).The expression levels of VEGFR-2,CXCR4,bFGFR and EGFR were also increased in the injured segments of carotid arteries (P ＜ 0.05).Compared with model group,the EPCs mobilization and the content of vascular repair factors VEGF,SDF-1,bFGF,EGF and MMP-9 in peripheral blood were significantly increased in different concentrations of crocin-treated mice with carotid artery injury (P ＜ 0.05).The area of vascular endothelium was gradually increased,while the area of intimal hyperplasia and the ratio of intimal to medial membrane area were gradually decreased (P ＜ 0.05).The expression levels of VEGFR-2,CXCR4,bFGFR and EGFR were also gradually increased in the injured segments of cartid arteries (P ＜ 0.05).CONCLUSION:Crocin promotes the mobilization of EPCs and the re-endothelialization of damaged blood vessels in the mice with carotid artery injury,thus repairing the injured vasculature.
ABSTRACT
AIM:To study the effect of crocin on the mobilization of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in the peripheral blood of the mice with carotid arterial injury and its mechanism.METHODS:The carotid artery injury model of the C57BL/6 mice was established by the method of wire injury.The animals were divided into sham operation group,saline-treated model group,and low dose,medium dose and high dose (10,50 and 100 μ mol· kg-1 · L-1,respectively) of crocin treatment groups.The mobilization of the EPCs in peripheral blood of the mice with carotid artery injury was detected by flow cytometry at 3 d.The changes of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF),stromal-derived factor-1 (SDF-1),basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF),epidermal growth factor (EGF) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in the peripheral blood of the mice with carotid artery injury were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay at 7 d.The vascular re-endothelialization and intimal hyperplasia of the mice with carotid artery injury were detected by Evans blue and hematoxylin-eosin staining.At the same time,real-time PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression of vascular repair factor-related receptors,vascular endothelial growth factor receotor-2 (VEGFR-2),CXC chemokine receptor-4 (CXCR4),basic fibroblast growth factor receptor (bFGFR) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR),in the injured segments of carotid arteries.RESULTS:Compared with sham group,the EPCs mobilization and the content of vascular repair factors VEGF,SDF-1,bFGF,EGF and MMP-9 in peripheral blood were increased in model group (P ＜0.05).The area of vascular endothelium was decreased,while the area of intimal hyperplasia and the ratio of intimal to medial membrane area were increased significantly (P ＜ 0.05).The expression levels of VEGFR-2,CXCR4,bFGFR and EGFR were also increased in the injured segments of carotid arteries (P ＜ 0.05).Compared with model group,the EPCs mobilization and the content of vascular repair factors VEGF,SDF-1,bFGF,EGF and MMP-9 in peripheral blood were significantly increased in different concentrations of crocin-treated mice with carotid artery injury (P ＜ 0.05).The area of vascular endothelium was gradually increased,while the area of intimal hyperplasia and the ratio of intimal to medial membrane area were gradually decreased (P ＜ 0.05).The expression levels of VEGFR-2,CXCR4,bFGFR and EGFR were also gradually increased in the injured segments of cartid arteries (P ＜ 0.05).CONCLUSION:Crocin promotes the mobilization of EPCs and the re-endothelialization of damaged blood vessels in the mice with carotid artery injury,thus repairing the injured vasculature.