AGEs/RAGE blockade downregulates Endothenin-1 (ET-1), mitigating Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVEC) injury in deep vein thrombosis (DVT)

ABSTRACT

This study is aimed at identifying the roles of AGE/RAGE and ET-1 in deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in glycated human serum albumin (M-HSA) were detected by ELISA. The viability of HUVECs was examined by CCK-8 assay. Flow cytometry was performed to detect cell apoptosis, followed by ELISA for the detection of inflammatory cytokine level and oxidative stress level in HUVECs. Immunofluorescence was performed to detect ET-1 and eNOS expression. The expression of specific proteins was assayed by western blot. As a result, decreased HUVEC viability was observed after stimulation with M-HSA, whereas RAGE inhibitor improved it. Cell apoptosis showed the opposite trend. Additionally, M-HSA-induced inflammatory cytokine release and oxidative stress of HUVECs were both alleviated by RAGE inhibitor. RAGE inhibitor also increased the levels of NO and eNOS while decreasing the level of ET-1 in M-HSA-stimulated HUVECs. Furthermore, decreased protein expression of Bax, cleaved-caspase3, RAGE, p65, ET-1 and iNOS was observed after treatment with RAGE inhibitor, in addition to increased protein expression of Bcl-2 and eNOS. In conclusion, blocking AGE/RAGE pathway downregulates ET-1, thereby mitigating HUVEC damage in DVT.

GRAPIC ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS:

• AGE/rage
• ET-1
• HSA
• DVT
• HUVECS

Research highlights

1. AGEs production was increased in M-HSA.

2. AGEs/RAGE inhibition increases the viability of M-HSA-stimulated HUVECs

3. AGEs/RAGE inhibition alleviates M-HSA-induced inflammation and oxidative stress in HUVECs.

4. AGEs/RAGE inhibition increased NO and ET-1 levels and decreased eNOS levels in M-HSA-stimulated HUVECs.

5. AGEs/RAGE blockade alleviated glycosylated HSA-induced injury in HUVECs by downregulating ET-1.

Acknowledgements

None.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).