ABSTRACT
AIM To explore the action mechanism of puerarin's protective effects against oxidative stress of HUVEC-12 cells induced by high glucose.METHODS HUVEC-12 cells cultured with 100 mmol/L glucose medium and 10,25,50 μmoL/L puerarin for 36 h had the cell proliferation,the levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH),intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS),the activities of caspase-3,superoxide dismutase (SOD)and catalase (CAT),and the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) measured.The mRNA expressions of SIRT1 and PGC-1α were detected by real-time flu orescence quantitative PCR,and the protein contents of SIRT1 and PGC-1 α were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.RESULTS The puerarin treatment to HUVEC-12 cells resulted in markedly lowered LDH level,caspase-3 activity,intracellular levels of MDA and ROS,and notable improvement of the cell viability,the activities of SOD and CAT,GSH content,the mRNA expressions and the protein contents of SIRT1 and PGC-1α as well.CONCLUSION The protective effect of puerarin on high glucose-induced oxidative damage of HUVEC-12 cells may be attributed to the SIRT1/PGC-1α pathway activation.