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Ursolic acid stimulates UCP2 expression and protects H9c2 cells from hypoxia-reoxygenation injury via p38 signaling

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Abstract

Oxidative stress and apoptosis is involved in hypoxia-reoxygenation (H/R) induced myocardial injury. Increased expression of uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2), a cationic carrier protein, has protective effect against H/R injury. The present study aimed to find candidate drugs for H/R induced cardiac damage by identifying compounds regulating UCP2 expression. Here, among six natural compounds, ursolic acid (UA) had the most significant induction effect on UCP2 expression in H9c2 cells under H/R conditions. Subsequently, we found that UA significantly attenuated cell apoptosis and Caspase 3 activity, but increased nitric oxide (NO) release under H/R conditions. Additionally, UA pretreatment also decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and malondialdehyde (MDA) content, but increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. H/R caused a notable increase in the phosphorylation of p38, which was weakened by UA pretreatment. Moreover, p38 inhibitor (SB203580) showed the similar effects on H/R cells as UA pretreatment, while UCP2 knockdown had the reverse biological effects. More importantly, the effects of UA or p38 inhibitor exposure were partially rescued by UCP2 knockdown. Collectively, our data suggested the functions of UA on UCP2 expression and on the protection of H/R-stimulated H9c2 cells may be attributed to p38 signaling pathway.

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200120, China

      Min Chen, Xiaodong Wang, Bo Hu, Jian Zhou, Xin Wang, Wei Wei & Hua Zhou

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    1. Min Chen
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    2. Xiaodong Wang
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    3. Bo Hu
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    4. Jian Zhou
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    5. Xin Wang
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    6. Wei Wei
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    7. Hua Zhou
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    Correspondence to Hua Zhou.

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    Communicated by Sorab Dalal.

    Corresponding editor: Sorab Dalal

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    Chen, M., Wang, X., Hu, B. et al. Ursolic acid stimulates UCP2 expression and protects H9c2 cells from hypoxia-reoxygenation injury via p38 signaling. J Biosci 43, 857–865 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12038-018-9801-2

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    • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12038-018-9801-2

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