Biphasic effect of aspirin on apoptosis of bovine vascular endothelial cells and its molecular mechanism.

Aim: To investigate the effect of aspirin on the apoptosis of cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC) and the signal pathways involved in this process.

Methods: BAEC were cultured and passaged in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium culture medium. Morphologic changes and quantification of apoptotic cells were determined using fluorescence microscope after staining the cells with Hoechst 33258.

Inhibitory effect of antisense oligodeoxynucleotide to p44/p42 MAPK on angiotensin II-induced hypertrophic response in cultured neonatal rat cardiac myocyte.

Aim: To explore the inhibitory effect of antisense oligonucleotide (ODN) to mitogen activated protein kinase(MAPK) on cardiomyocyte hypertrophy induced by angiotensin II (Ang II).

Methods: A 17-mer phosphorothioate-protected antisense ODN directed against the initiation of translation sites of the p42 and p44 MAPK isoforms by liposomal transfection was applied to inhibit the translation of p44/p42 MAPK mRNA. The sense and random ODNs to p44/p42MAPK were used as sequence controls.

Estrogen prevents bovine aortic endothelial cells from TNF-alpha-induced apoptosis via opposing effects on p38 and p44/42 CCDPK.

Aim: To investigate the effect of 17beta-estradiol (E2) on TNF-alpha-induced apoptosis in cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC) and the underlied mechanism.

Methods: BAEC were cultured and passaged in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM). Morphologic changes and quantification of apoptotic cells were determined under fluorescence microscope with Hoechst 33258 staining.

VEGF protects bovine aortic endothelial cells from TNF-alpha- and H2O2-induced apoptosis via co-modulatory effects on p38-and p42/p44-CCDPK signaling.

Aim: To investigate the effect of VEGF on TNF-alpha- or H2O2-induced apoptosis in cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC) and the underlied signal transduction mechanisms related to Ca2+-calmodulin dependent protein kinase (CCDPK).

Methods: BAEC were cultured and passaged in DMEM. Morphologic changes and quantification of apoptotic cells were determined under fluorescence microscope with Hoechst 33258 staining.