Hydrogen Sulfide Protects Against High Glucose-Induced Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cell Injury Through Activating PI3K/Akt/eNOS Pathway

Purpose: Dysfunction of endothelial cells plays a key role in the pathogenesis of diabetic atherosclerosis. High glucose (HG) has been found as a key factor in the progression of diabetic complications, including atherosclerosis. PI3K/Akt/eNOS signaling pathway has been shown to involve in HG-induced vascular injuries. Hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) has been found to exhibit protective effects on HG-induced vascular injuries. Moreover, H 2 S activates PI3K/Akt/eNOS pathway in endothelial cells. Thus, the present study aimed to determine if H 2 S exerts protective effects against HG-induced injuries of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) via activating PI3K/Akt/eNOS signaling. Materials and Methods: The endothelial protective effects of H 2 S were evaluated and compared to the controlled groups. Cell viability, cell migration and tube formation were determined by in vitro functional assays; protein levels were evaluated by Western blot assay and ELISA; cell apoptosis was determined by Hoechst 33258 nuclear staining; Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was evaluated by the ROS detection kit. Results: HG treatment significantly inhibited PI3K/Akt/eNOS signaling in HUVECs, which was partially reversed by the H2S treatment. HG treatment inhibited cell viability of HUVECs, which were markedly prevented by H 2 S or PI3K agonist Y-P 740. HG treatment also induced HUVEC cell apoptosis by increasing the protein levels of cleaved caspase 3, Bax and Bcl-2, which were significantly attenuated by H 2 S or 740 Y-P. ROS production and gp91 phox protein level were increased by HG treatment in HUVECs and this effect can be blocked by the treatment with H 2 S or Y-P 740. Moreover, HG treatment increased the protein levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, caspase-1 and phosphorylated JNK, which was significantly attenuated by H 2 S or Y-P 740. Importantly, the cytoprotective effect of H 2 S against HG-induced injury was inhibited by LY294002 (an inhibitor of PI3K/Akt/eNOS signaling pathway). Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that exogenous H 2 S protects endothelial cells against HG-induced injuries by activating PI3K/Akt/eNOS pathway. Based on the above findings, we proposed that reduced endogenous H 2 S levels and the subsequent PI3K/Akt/eNOS signaling impairment may be the important pathophysiological mechanism underlying hyperglycemia-induced vascular injuries. Keywords: endothelial cells, hydrogen sulfide, high glucose, injury, PI3K/Akt/eNOS