Ursolic acid inhibits over expression of CRP in HepG2 cells and CRP induced HUVECs injury

Abstract

Abstract: AIM: To investigate the inhibitory effects of ursolic acid (UA) on the over expression of C-reactive protein (CRP) induced by IL-6 in HepG2 cells and its protective effect of CRP induced human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) injury.METHODS: HepG2 cells were treated with IL-6 (30 ng/mL) or IL-6 (30 ng/mL) and different concentrations of UA (6.5, 12.5, 25 μmol/L) for 48 h, then effect of UA on CRP-induced proliferation of HUVECs was detected by MTT assay; CRP protein and mRNA expression in HepG2 cells was detected by using Western blot and RT-PCR methods. HUVECs were treated with CRP (25 μg/mL) or CRP (25 μg/mL) and different concentrations of UA (5, 10, 20 μmol/L) for 24 h, the cell proliferation in each group was assayed by MTT and VCAM-1, LOX-1 protein or mRNA expression were detected by Western blot and RT-PCR methods.RESULTS: The cell proliferation decreasing induced by IL-6 and IL-6-induced CRP protein and mRNA expression increasing effects in HepG2 cells can be significantly inhibited by UA. Increasing cell proliferation and LOX-1/VCAM-1 abnormal over expression both on mRNA and protein levels of HUVECs induced by CRP can be markedly inhibited by different concentrations of UA.CONCLUSION: UA can reduce CRP levels in plasma by inhibiting the hepatic synthesis of CRP. So UA may have positive significance for preventing myocardial ischemia and anti-atherosclerosis diseases by preventing CRP and other inflammatory cytokines from injuring endothelial cells.

Key words: UA, HepG2, HUVECs, CRP, Atherosclerosis

CLC Number:

R965.2

JIN Yue, LV Yuan-yuan, LIU Ke-xin, HAN Guo-zhu, WANG Chang-yuan, LIU Qi, MENG Qiang, SUN Hui-Jun. Ursolic acid inhibits over expression of CRP in HepG2 cells and CRP induced HUVECs injury[J]. Chinese Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 2013, 18(7): 725-731.

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