scholarly journals Decursin Inhibits VEGF-Mediated Inner Blood—Retinal Barrier Breakdown by Suppression of VEGFR-2 Activation

2009 ◽  
Vol 29 (9) ◽  
pp. 1559-1567 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jin Hyoung Kim ◽  
Jeong Hun Kim ◽  
You Mie Lee ◽  
Eun-Mi Ahn ◽  
Kyu-Won Kim ◽  
...  

The blood—retinal barrier (BRB) is essential for the normal structural and functional integrity of the retina, whose breakdown could cause the serious vision loss. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), as a permeable factor, induces alteration of tight junction proteins to result in BRB breakdown. Herein, we demonstrated that decursin inhibits VEGF-mediated inner BRB breakdown through suppression of VEGFR-2 signaling pathway. In retinal endothelial cells, decursin inhibited VEGF-mediated hyperpermeability. Decursin prevented VEGF-mediated loss of tight junction proteins including zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), ZO-2, and occludin in retinal endothelial cells, which was also supported by restoration of tight junction proteins in intercellular junction. In addition, decursin significantly inhibited VEGF-mediated vascular leakage from retinal vessels, which was accompanied by prevention of loss of tight junction proteins in retinal vessels. Decursin significantly suppressed VEGF-induced VEGFR-2 phosphrylation that consequently led to inhibition of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 activation. Moreover, decursin induced no cytotoxicity to retinal endothelial cells and no retinal toxicity under therapeutic concentrations. Therefore, our results suggest that decursin prevents VEGF-mediated BRB breakdown through blocking of loss of tight junction proteins, which might be regulated by suppression of VEGFR-2 activation. As a novel inhibitor to BRB breakdown, decursin could be applied to variable retinopathies with BRB breakdown.

2008 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 621-628 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeong Hun Kim ◽  
Jin Hyoung Kim ◽  
Young Suk Yu ◽  
Chang Sik Cho ◽  
Kyu-Won Kim

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the leading cause of vision loss as a major complication of diabetes mellitus. The blood—retinal barrier (BRB) breakdown is a critical early event in the pathogenesis of DR. It has been known that the rennin-angiotensin system (RAS) is important in the progression of the DR via angiotensin II (Ang II), the effector of RAS. In this study, we showed that blockade of Ang II attenuates vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-mediated BRB breakdown in DR. In streptozotocin-induced diabetes, retinal vascular permeability increased with upregulation of VEGF, where Ang II and its receptors were upregulated. Ang II induced VEGF expression in retinal endothelial cells accompanied by loss of tight junction proteins. However, the blockade of Ang II by perindopril, an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, inhibited upregulation of VEGF, and prevented the loss of tight junction proteins. Moreover, inhibition of Ang II by perindopril attenuated increased vascular permeability of diabetic retina accompanied by recovery of tight junction proteins in retinal vessels. Therefore, we suggest that the RAS involves in increased vascular permeability during early stage of DR, which is mediated by VEGF. Furthermore, the ACE inhibitor may have a therapeutic potential in the treatment of diabetic BRB breakdown.


Diabetes ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 59 (10) ◽  
pp. 2637-2645 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ermelindo C. Leal ◽  
João Martins ◽  
Paula Voabil ◽  
Joana Liberal ◽  
Carlo Chiavaroli ◽  
...  

PLoS ONE ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. e115981 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shijie Jin ◽  
Yoshifumi Sonobe ◽  
Jun Kawanokuchi ◽  
Hiroshi Horiuchi ◽  
Yi Cheng ◽  
...  

Antioxidants ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 820 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donghyun Kim ◽  
Kyeong-A Kim ◽  
Jeong-Hyeon Kim ◽  
Eun-Hye Kim ◽  
Ok-Nam Bae

Methylglyoxal (MG) is a dicarbonyl compound, the level of which is increased in the blood of diabetes patients. MG is reported to be involved in the development of cerebrovascular complications in diabetes, but the exact mechanisms need to be elucidated. Here, we investigated the possible roles of oxidative stress and mitophagy in MG-induced functional damage in brain endothelial cells (ECs). Treatment of MG significantly altered metabolic stress as observed by the oxygen-consumption rate and barrier-integrity as found in impaired trans-endothelial electrical resistance in brain ECs. The accumulation of MG adducts and the disturbance of the glyoxalase system, which are major detoxification enzymes of MG, occurred concurrently. Reactive oxygen species (ROS)-triggered oxidative damage was observed with increased mitochondrial ROS production and the suppressed Akt/hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1α) pathway. Along with the disturbance of mitochondrial bioenergetic function, parkin-1-mediated mitophagy was increased by MG. Treatment of N-acetyl cysteine significantly reversed mitochondrial damage and mitophagy. Notably, MG induced dysregulation of tight junction proteins including occludin, claudin-5, and zonula occluden-1 in brain ECs. Here, we propose that diabetic metabolite MG-associated oxidative stress may contribute to mitochondrial damage and autophagy in brain ECs, resulting in the dysregulation of tight junction proteins and the impairment of permeability.


Stroke ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 43 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Neetu Tyagi ◽  
Natia Qipshidze ◽  
Srikanth Givvimani ◽  
Paras K Mishra ◽  
David Lominadze ◽  
...  

Hyperhomocysteinmia (HHcy) is associated with neurological disorders (Stroke, Alzheimer, Parkinson etc) and causes blood brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction. We previously showed that an elevated level of homocysteine (Hcy) increased formation of filamentous actin and enhanced endothelial layer permeability. In the present work we tested the hypothesis that Hcy induces oxidative stress and binding to endothelial cells (ECs) alters expression of endothelial tight junction proteins (TJP). In this study mouse brain microvascular endothelial cells (bEND3) were grown in gold plated chambers of an electrical cell-substrate impedance system, 8-well chambered. Confluent bEND3 were treated with different doses of Hcy with mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK) kinase inhibitors (PD98059 or U0126) or H 2 O 2 (oxidant), or medium alone for 24 h. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) was detected using DCFH-DA assay. Hcy induced a dose-dependent decrease in EC junction integrity as determined by transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER). Our results show that high dose of Hcy induces oxidative stress, which cause down regulation of the TJPs contents occludin, zona occluden-1 (ZO-1), and zona occluden-2 (ZO-2) in bEND3s. Hcy-induced decreases in contents of the TJPs were blocked by PD98059, U0126. While BQ788 inhibited endothelin-1-induced decrease in TEER, it did not affect Hcy-induced decrease in TEER. These data suggest that Hcy increases EC layer permeability via the MEK kinase signaling pathway by affecting TJPs, which are bound to actin filaments. Therefore, increased binding of Hcy with ECs during cerebo-vascular diseases may increase microvascular permeability by altering the content and possibly subcellular localization of endothelial TJPs.


Blood ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 116 (21) ◽  
pp. 2694-2694
Author(s):  
Sa-ran Feng ◽  
Zi-Xing Chen ◽  
Jian-nong Cen ◽  
Hong-jie Shen ◽  
Li Yao ◽  
...  

Abstract Abstract 2694 Recurrence of acute leukemia (AL) in the central nervous system (CNS) confers a poor prognosis. However, little is known about the the underlying mechanisms of leukemic cell infiltration into the CNS. The blood brain barrier (BBB) makes CNS become a refugee to leukemic cells and serves as a resource of cells that seed extraneural sites. Tight junction in brain microvessel endothelial cells (HMECs) constituted by tight junction proteins is an important structure of BBB. Except the well known role of degrading extracellular matrix in metastasis of cancer cells, here we identify matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9 secreted by leukemic cells are also associated with BBB opening by degrading tight junction proteins. We have successfully established an animal model of CNS leukemia by using a highly invasive human acute monocytic leukemia cell line SHI-1 in nude mice. Multiple organs including skull and brain were sectioned and determined histopathologically for leukemia cell infiltration. The fact that the down- regulation of ZO-1, Claun-5 and Occludin accompanied with up-regulation of MMP-2 and MMP-9 was correlated with BBB breakdown in mice with CNS leukemia was found when examined by laser scanning fluorescence confocal microscopy and gelatin in situ zymography. The treatment with MMP-inhibitor GM6001 could significantly reverse these changes in tight junction proteins. In an in vitro monolayer BBB model made by human encephalo-microvessel endothelial cells and matreil gel, MMP-2 and MMP-9 specifically down-regulated ZO-1, Claun-5 and Occludin. Knock-down or inhibition of MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression protected ZO-1, Claun-5 and occludin from degradation and alleviated the permeability of BBB. Our findings suggest that the degradation of tight junction proteins ZO-1, Claun-5 and Occludin by MMP-2 and MMP-9 secreted by leukemic cells constitutes an important mechanism in BBB breakdown in CNS leukemia. These studies provide a potent evidence for future pharmacological treatment to inhibit the CNS involvement in acute leukemia. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 413-413
Author(s):  
Dongyeon Kim ◽  
Min-kyung Kang ◽  
Young-Hee Kang

Abstract Objectives Diabetes-associated retinal impairment has been implicated in diabetic retinopathy. Chronic hyperglycemia leads to disruption of tight junction and breakdown of blood retinal barrier. Eucalyptol is a natural organic essential oil and a monoterpenoid present in eucalyptus oil with anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic and antioxidant properties. Methods Primary human retinal pigment epithelial cells (HRPEC) were cultured in media containing 33 mM glucose for 4 days in the presence of 1–20 μM eucalyptol. The in vivo animal study employed db/db mice orally administrated with 10 mg/kg eucalyptol. Cell lysates and mouse eye tissue extracts were prepared for Western blotting, in which antibodies of ZO-1, occludin, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 were used. Results Eucalyptol enhanced epithelial induction of the tight junction proteins of ZO-1 and occludin reduced by glucose loading. Consistently, oral administration of eucalyptol to db/db mice augmented the eye tissue levels of these tight junction proteins. In addition, the induction of MMP-2 and MMP-9 involved in the degradation of extracellular matrix, was elevated by exposure of glucose to HRPEC, which was encumbered by eucalyptol in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusions These results demonstrated that eucalyptol maintained transepithelial cells integrity and blood retinal barrier in diabetic eyes. Therefore, eucalyptol may be a potent retinoprotective agent combating diabetes-associated retinal malfunction. Funding Sources This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grants funded by the Korea government (2017R1A6A3A04011473).


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