Gastrodin induced HO-1 and Nrf2 up-regulation to alleviate H2O2-induced oxidative stress in mouse liver sinusoidal endothelial cells through p38 MAPK phosphorylation

Braz J Med Biol Res. 2018 Aug 16;51(10):e7439. doi: 10.1590/1414-431X20187439.

Abstract

Nuclear factor erythroid-related factor 2 (Nrf2) has been implicated in several detoxifying and antioxidant defense processes. Nrf2-mediated heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression was demonstrated to play a key role against oxidative stress. Gastrodin (GSTD) is a well-known active compound isolated from the roots of Rhizoma gastrodiae, a plant used in ancient Chinese traditional medicine. The aim of this work was to investigate whether GSTD could alleviate H2O2-induced oxidative stress in mouse liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs). In LSECs exposed to 1 mM H2O2, treatment with GSTD (1, 10, or 50 µM) resulted in higher cell viability than the untreated control. Treated cells maintained a higher Bcl2/Bax ratio and suppressed caspase-9 expression compared with untreated cells, reducing cell apoptosis. GSTD was protective for H2O2-induced oxidative injury by reducing the generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde. HO-1 and Nrf2 expressions were synergistically upregulated by GSTD. Inhibition of HO-1 by 10 µM zinc protoporphyrin resulted in less protective effects on cell viability and malondialdehyde reduction by GSTD treatment in H2O2-exposed LSECs. Additionally, phosphorylated p38 in LSECs exposed to H2O2 was elevated by GSTD. Inhibition of p38 phosphorylation by SB203580 did not induce Nrf2 and HO-1 expression after 1 or 10 µM GSTD treatment and the protective effect on cell viability and malondialdehyde reduction in H2O2-exposed LSECs was reduced. The data conclusively demonstrated that GSTD-induced HO-1 and Nrf2 expression is involved in protection of LSECs from H2O2-induced oxidative injury, which may be regulated by p38 phosphorylation.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Benzyl Alcohols / pharmacology*
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Endothelial Cells / drug effects*
  • Glucosides / pharmacology*
  • Heme Oxygenase-1 / metabolism*
  • Hydrogen Peroxide / pharmacology*
  • Liver / cytology
  • Liver / drug effects
  • Malondialdehyde / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Models, Theoretical
  • NF-E2-Related Factor 2 / metabolism*
  • Oxidative Stress / drug effects*
  • Oxidative Stress / physiology
  • Phosphorylation / drug effects
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism
  • Up-Regulation / drug effects
  • p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / blood
  • p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / metabolism*

Substances

  • Benzyl Alcohols
  • Glucosides
  • NF-E2-Related Factor 2
  • Nfe2l2 protein, mouse
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • Malondialdehyde
  • gastrodin
  • Hydrogen Peroxide
  • Heme Oxygenase-1
  • p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases