A key mediator, PTX3, of IKK/IκB/NF-κB exacerbates human umbilical vein endothelial cell injury and dysfunction.

Objective: This study was performed to investigate PTX3-mediated iNOS expression and IKK/IκB/NF-κB activation in PA-induced atherosclerotic HUVECs injury model.

Methods: The cell viability was detected by the CCK8 assay. The cell apoptosis was assessed by annexin V-PI double-labeling staining. Expression of genes and proteins were analyzed by real-time PCR and western blotting respectively. Cells were transfected with siRNAs as a gene silencing methods.

Results: PA induced cell apoptosis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells in a time and dose-dependent manner. PA also induced upregulation expression of PTX3. TPCA-1, an inhibitor of IKK-2, could suppress the expression of PTX3 and phospho-IκB-α in PA-induced endothelial dysfunction cell model. We also found that transfection of cells with PTX3 siRNA reduced the expression of iNOS and NO, and protected PA-induced cell apoptosis in HUVECs.

Conclusions: PTX3 could exacerbate endothelial dysfunction, at least partially, through IKK/IκB/NF-κB activation and overexpression of iNOS and NO, and advance the development of atherosclerosis.