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The role of PPARγ in intermittent hypoxia-related human umbilical vein endothelial cell injury

  • Basic Science • Original Article
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Abstract

Purpose

Patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) have a high incidence of vascular endothelial injury. The most important pathophysiological feature of OSA is chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH). This study aimed to investigate the mechanisms of CIH-related vascular endothelial injury.

Methods

IH exposure was applied to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). After modeling, cell viability, the expression levels of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor γ (PPARγ), apoptosis-associated proteins and mitochondrial division fusion proteins, and the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) were assessed via Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), western blotting, fluorescent microscope, and flow cytometry, respectively. Rosiglitazone (PPARγ agonist), tempo (the mitochondrial-specific antioxidant), and tempo combined with PPARγ interfering RNA were used to treat HUVECs, respectively.

Results

After IH exposure, cell viability and levels of MMP decreased, cell apoptosis and ROS levels increased, and the expression levels of PPARγ decreased. Both tempo and rosiglitazone pretreatment ameliorated cell apoptosis and improved cell viability. In addition, mitochondrial function became better after tempo pretreatment. PPARγ interference reversed the protective effects of tempo on IH-related mitochondrial function injury and cell injury.

Conclusions

PPARγ regulated the apoptosis and cell viability of IH-treated HUVECs by altering mitochondrial function. This finding clarifies the mechanism of CIH-related vascular endothelial injury.

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Data availability

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Funding

This study was funded by Fujian Province Finance Project of China (No. BPB-LNF2021) and Joint Funds for the innovation of science and Technology, Fujian Province [Grant number. 2019Y9116].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Fujian Provincial Sleep-Disordered Breathing Clinic Center; Institute of Respiratory Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Medical University, No 20, Chazhong road, Taijiang district, Fujian, 350005, Fuzhou, China

    Lian Ning-fang, Jin Yong-xu, Chen Jia, Wang Cai-yun, Huang Jie-feng & Lin Qi-chang

Authors
  1. Lian Ning-fang
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  2. Jin Yong-xu
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  3. Chen Jia
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  4. Wang Cai-yun
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  5. Huang Jie-feng
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  6. Lin Qi-chang
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lin Qi-chang.

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This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.

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This paper was presented as a poster at the 3rd Congress of Asian Society of Sleep Medicine.

Lian NF, Chen MX, Chen LD, Huang JF, Lin QC (Corresponding author). PPARγ regulates mitochondrial function and cell injury in intermittent hypoxia treated human umbilical vein endothelial cells. ASSM 2021 Meet.

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Ning-fang, L., Yong-xu, J., Jia, C. et al. The role of PPARγ in intermittent hypoxia-related human umbilical vein endothelial cell injury. Sleep Breath 27, 1155–1164 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-022-02696-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-022-02696-x

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