Effect of C-reactive protein on Notch pathway components in human periphery blood endothelial progenitor cells / 南方医科大学学报

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effect of C-reactive protein (CRP) on the expressions of Notch pathway components in human peripheral blood endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) in vitro.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Mononuclear cells isolated by density gradient centrifugation of human peripheral blood mixed with 6% hydroxyethyl starch (Hes) were plated on fibronectin-coated 6-well culture dishes. After 7 days, the adherent cells were cultured in the presence of 10 and 20 mg/L CRP for 48 h, and the proliferation, migration, and adhesion abilities of the cells were observed. The mRNA expressions of Notch-1 and its ligand Jagged-1 in the EPCs were measured by RT-PCR, and their protein expressions by Western blotting.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>CRP at 10 and 20 mg/L caused a significant reduction in the number of viable EPCs (61∓3 and 54∓3, respectively) as compared with PBS (71∓4, P<0.05). CRP also resulted in a significant suppression of the proliferation, migration and adhesion capacities of the EPCs. The mRNA and protein expressions of Jagged-1 and Notch-1 in the EPCs significantly increased following CRP exposure in comparison with PBS treatment.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>CRP can suppress the proliferation, migration and adhesion capacities of the EPCs probably by affecting the expressions of the Notch-1 pathway components.</p>