ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To study the protective effects of ferulic acid on apoptosis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) induced by high-glucose and its mechanisms. METHODS: HUVECs cells were cultured, survival rate of HUVECs cells was determined by MTS colorimetric method. Cell intracellular ROS were detected with fluorescence probe DCFH-DA.Expressions of VPO1, Bax and Bcl-2 were detected by Real-time PCR and Western Blot. RESULTS: Compared with normal control group, the survival cell number in the high glucose-treated group were obviously decreased, the expressions of VPO1 and Bax were obviously up-regulation and the expressions of Bcl-2 were obviously down-regulation. Compared with high-glucose group, the level of intracellular ROS and the expression lever of VPO1 and Bax were obviously down-regulation, HUVECs proliferation rate and the expression of Bcl-2 significantly increased after incubated with ferulic acid. CONCLUSION: Ferulic acid can protect HUVECs against the apoptosis induced by high-glucose in vitro, and its mechanism could be related with the reduced VPO1 expression and the inhibition of the oxidative stress.