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Protective effects of magnolol against oxidized LDL-induced apoptosis in endothelial cells

  • Molecular Toxicology
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Abstract

Magnolol, a compound extracted from the Chinese medicinal herb Magnolia officinalis, has several biological effects. However, its protective effects against endothelial injury remain unclear. In this study, we examined whether magnolol prevents oxidized low density lipoprotein (oxLDL)-induced vascular endothelial apoptosis. Incubation of oxLDL with magnolol (2.5–20 μM) inhibited copper-induced oxidative modification via diene formation, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) assay and electrophoretic mobility assay. Apoptotic cell death as characterized by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) stain. We measured the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by using the fluorescent probe 2′,7′-dichlorofluorescein acetoxymethyl ester (DCF-AM), and observed the activity of antioxidant enzymes. Furthermore, several apoptotic signaling pathways which showed NF-κB activation, increased cytosolic calcium, alteration of mitochondrial membrane potential, cytochrome c release and activation of caspase 3 were also investigated. We demonstrated that magnolol prevented the copper-induced oxidative modification of LDL. Magnolol attenuated the oxLDL-induced ROS generation and subsequent NF-κB activation. Furthermore, intracellular calcium accumulation and subsequent mitochondrial membrane potential collapse, cytochome c release and activation of caspase 3 caused by oxLDL were also inhibited by magnolol. Our results suggest that magnolol may have clinical implications in the prevention of atherosclerotic vascular disease through decreasing the oxLDL-induced ROS production.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by grants from the National Science Council (NSC 94-2314-B-075A-012) and Taichung Veterans General Hospital (TCVGH-953505C, TCVGH-TTMHH958502), Taiwan, Republic of China.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Education and Medical Research, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, No. 160, Sec. 3, Taichung-Kang Road, Taichung, 407, Taiwan

    Hsiu-Chung Ou, Shih-Lan Hsu & Wen-Jane Lee

  2. Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan

    Wayne Huey-Herng Sheu

  3. Institute of Biochemistry, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan

    Hsiu-Chung Ou & Fen-Pi Chou

  4. School of Medicine, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan

    Wayne Huey-Herng Sheu

  5. Institute of Medical Technology, National Chung-Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan

    Wayne Huey-Herng Sheu

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  1. Hsiu-Chung Ou
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  2. Fen-Pi Chou
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  3. Wayne Huey-Herng Sheu
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  4. Shih-Lan Hsu
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  5. Wen-Jane Lee
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Correspondence to Wen-Jane Lee.

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Ou, HC., Chou, FP., Sheu, W.HH. et al. Protective effects of magnolol against oxidized LDL-induced apoptosis in endothelial cells. Arch Toxicol 81, 421–432 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00204-006-0172-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00204-006-0172-3

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