Lycium barbarum polysaccharide's protective effects against PM-induced cellular senescence in HUVECs.

Fine particulate matter (PM) exposure is strongly associated with vascular endothelial senescence, a process implicated in cardiovascular diseases. While there is existing knowledge on the impact of Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) on vascular endothelial damage, the protective mechanism of LBP against PM-induced vascular endothelial senescence remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the impact of PM exposure on vascular endothelial senescence and explored the intervention effects of LBP in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). We found that PM exposure dose-dependently reduced cell viability and proliferation in HUVECs while increasing the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), and hydrogen peroxide (HO). Additionally, PM exposure inhibited the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD). Notably, PM exposure induced autophagy impairments and cellular senescence. However, LBP mitigated PM-induced cell damage. Further studies demonstrated that correcting autophagy impairment in HUVECs reduced the expression of the senescence markers P16 and P21 induced by PM. This suggests the regulatory role of autophagy in cellular senescence and the potential of LBP in improving HUVECs senescence. These findings provide novel insights into the mechanisms underlying PM-induced cardiovascular toxicity and highlight the potential of LBP as a therapeutic agent for improving vascular endothelial health.