A purified extract from Clematis mandshurica prevents staurosporin-induced downregulation of 14-3-3 and subsequent apoptosis on rat chondrocytes.

Objective: To dissect the mechanism of the protection of staurosporin-induced apoptosis on rat chondrocytes by a purified extract from Clematis mandshurica.

Design: Primary cultured rat articular chondrocytes as well as RCJ3.1C.18 cells were incubated with 1 microM staurosporin and 300 microg/ml purified extract from Clematis mandshurica. Western blot assay, silencing 14-3-3 gene and immunoprecipitation were conducted.

Results: Clematis mandshurica prevented staurosporin-induced downregulation of several antiapoptotic bcl-2 family proteins Bcl-xL and Bcl-2, and staurosporin-induced upregulation of an apoptotic bcl-2 family protein Bax. Clematis mandshurica also prevented staurosporin-induced downregulation of a premitochondrial antiapoptotic protein 14-3-3. It is noticeable that siRNA to 14-3-3 abolished the prevention of caspase-3 activation by Clematis mandshurica. Furthermore viability assay corroborated that silencing of 14-3-3 gene abolished this apoptosis protection efficacy by Clematis mandshurica. Immunoprecipitation assay elucidated that Clematis mandshurica prevented the staurosporin-induced reduction of the interactions between 14-3-3 with phospho-ser112-Bad and Bcl-xL to phospho-ser155-Bad.

Conclusions: Clematis mandshurica prevents staurosporin-induced apoptosis of rat chondrocytes via 14-3-3.