Anti-inflammatory effects of a Chinese herbal medicine in atherosclerosis via estrogen receptor β mediating nitric oxide production and NF-κB suppression in endothelial cells

Cell Death Dis. 2013 Mar 21;4(3):e551. doi: 10.1038/cddis.2013.66.

Abstract

Bu-Shen-Ning-Xin Decoction (BSNXD) administration has alleviated the early pathologic damage of atherosclerosis by inhibiting the adhesion molecule expression and upregulating the estrogen receptor (ER) β expression in endothelial cells, and increasing the serum nitric oxide (NO) level without any effect on serum lipid status, endometrium and fat deposition in liver in ovariectomized rabbits. The BSNXD-derived serum increases ER β expression in the human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), and decreases malondialdehyde (MDA) production, and upregulates eNOS expression then increases NO synthesis through ERβ-dependent pathway. NO not only suppresses the LPS-induced NF-κB transcription in HUVECs, but also decreases apoptosis of endothelial cells. The BSNXD-derived serum decreases monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 production, and suppresses cell adhesion molecules (ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and E-selectin) expression in HUVECs injured by oxidized low-density lipoproteins (ox-LDL), and these effects can be abolished by ERβ antagonist (R,RTHC) and NO synthase inhibitor (L-NAME). The BSNXD-derived serum-treated HUVECs supernatant reduces CCR2, LFA-1 and VLA-4 expression in monocytes cell line U937 cells, which in turn inhibits adherence of U937 to injured endothelial cells. NO synthesis increases, and MDA production decreases through ERβ-mediated pathway that suppresses apoptosis and NF-κB activity in endothelial cells that downregulates adhesion molecules expression on endothelial cells via ERβ/NO/NF-κB pathway, and in turn leukocyte adhesion, which suggests BSNXD potential value in prophylaxis atherosclerosis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / pharmacology*
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Atherosclerosis / genetics
  • Atherosclerosis / metabolism
  • Atherosclerosis / pathology
  • Atherosclerosis / prevention & control*
  • Cell Adhesion / drug effects
  • Chemokine CCL2 / genetics
  • Chemokine CCL2 / metabolism
  • Cullin Proteins / genetics
  • Cullin Proteins / metabolism
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal / pharmacology*
  • E-Selectin / genetics
  • E-Selectin / metabolism
  • Estrogen Receptor beta / agonists
  • Estrogen Receptor beta / genetics*
  • Estrogen Receptor beta / metabolism
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation / drug effects
  • Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells / drug effects
  • Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / genetics
  • Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / metabolism
  • Monocytes / cytology
  • Monocytes / drug effects
  • Monocytes / metabolism
  • NF-kappa B / genetics*
  • NF-kappa B / metabolism
  • Nitric Oxide / agonists
  • Nitric Oxide / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Nitric Oxide / metabolism*
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / genetics
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / metabolism
  • Rabbits
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal
  • CCL2 protein, human
  • CUL5 protein, human
  • Chemokine CCL2
  • Cullin Proteins
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal
  • E-Selectin
  • Estrogen Receptor beta
  • NF-kappa B
  • Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1
  • Nitric Oxide
  • NOS3 protein, human
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III