Effect of berberine on apoptosis of human coronary artery endothelial cells induced by intermittent high glucose / 中草药

ABSTRACT

Objective: To investigate the effect of berberine on the apoptosis of human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAECs) induced by intermittent high glucose in vitro. Methods HCAECs were isolated, identified, cultured, and divided into five groups Group A was the normal glucose group (5.5 mmol/L glucose, NG); Group B was the persistent high glucose group (25 mmol/L glucose, PHG); Group C was the intermittent high glucose group (5.5 mmol/L and 25 mmol/L glucose fluctuated every 24 h, IHG); Group D was in a volatile hyperosmotic environment (5.5 mmol/L and 25 mmol/L mannitol alternating every 24 h to maintain the same osmotic pressure as IHG, OC); Group E was the fluctuation of hyperglycemia + berberine intervention group (5.5 mmol/L and 25 mmol/L glucose + 50 μmol/L berberine fluctuated every 24 h, IHG + BBR). The cells of each group were changed every 24 h, and the culture was stopped after 7 d, the cell viability and apoptosis were detected in each group. The expression of the apoptosis related protein Caspase-3 was determined by qRT-PCR and Western blotting. Results Compared with the persistent high glucose group, the apoptosis of HCAECs in the intermittent high glucose group was more significant (P < 0.05), but the apoptosis of HCAECs in the fluctuation of hyperglycemia + berberine intervention group was more significantly reduced than that in the intermittent high glucose group (P < 0.05). Berberine significantly reduced the expression of Caspase-3 induced by intermittent high glucose (P < 0.05) Conclusion Intermittent high glucose decreased the activity of HCAECs more easily than the persistent high glucose,and promoted the apoptosis of HCAECs. But berberine significantly reduced the apoptosis of HCAECs under intermittent high glucose, which had a significant protective effect on HCAECs.