Naringin protects against high glucose-induced injury by inhibiting leptin pathway in H9c2 cardiac cells

AIM: To study whether naringin protects H9c2 cardiac cells against high glucose( HG)-induced injury by inhibiting the leptin pathway. METHODS: The expression levels of leptin and leptin receptor( LEPR) were detected by Western blotting. The cell viability was analyzed by CCK-8 assay. The changes of the morphology and the number of apoptotic cells were tested by Hoechst 33258 nuclear staining. The intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species( ROS) were measured by DCFH-DA staining. Mitochondrial membrane potential( MMP) was determined by rhodamine 123 staining. RESULTS: Treatment of the cells with 35 mmol / L glucose( HG) for 6 ~ 24 h up-regulated the expression of leptin in H9c2 cardiac cells with the peak value at 9 h. Treatment of the cells with HG for 1 ~ 24 h also enhanced the expression of LEPR,peaking at 12 h. Pretreatment with 80 μmol / L naringin for 2 h before exposure of the H9c2 cardiac cells to HG significantly inhibited the up-regulation of both leptin and LEPR induced by HG. Pretreatment of the cells with naringin for 2 h,leptin antagonist for 24 h,or leptin receptor antagonist for 2 h attenuated HG-induced injury in the cardiomyocytes, evidenced by an increase in cell viability,decreases in the number of apoptotic cells and intracellular ROS production as well as a recovery of MMP. CONCLUSION: Naringin may protect the cardiomyocytes against the HG-induced injury by inhibition of the leptin pathway.