2023, Vol. 27 ›› Issue (26): 4161-4167

Effects of sodium arsenite on human umbilical vein endothelial cell injury and sphingosine kinases 1/sphingosine 1-phosphate signaling axis

Fang Xingyan1, Tian Zhenli1, Zhao Zheyi2, Wen Ping3, Xie Tingting1   

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Vascular endothelial cells are the main target of arsenic toxicity and the molecular mechanism of arsenic-induced endothelial cell injury needs to be further studied.
OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of sodium arsenite on human umbilical vein endothelial cell injury and sphingosine kinase 1/sphingosine 1-phosphate signaling axis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells.
METHODS: Human umbilical vein endothelial cells were isolated, cultured, and identified. The cells were treated with 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 µmol/L sodium arsenite for 24 hours. Cell viability was detected by cell counting kit-8. Cell morphology was observed by inverted phase contrast microscope. The content of intracellular reactive oxygen species was detected by fluorescent probe DCFH-DA. Annexin V-FITC/PI double labeling combined with flow cytometry and TUNEL were used to detect apoptosis. The content of sphingosine 1-phosphate in cells was detected by ELISA. The mRNA and protein expressions of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, sphingosine kinase 1, and sphingosine 1-phosphate were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR and western blot respectively.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Compared with the control group (0 µmol/L sodium arsenite), the cell viability decreased gradually along with the increased concentration of sodium arsenite in a dose-dependent manner; the cell fusion rate decreased gradually, the cell gap widened gradually, and the number of exfoliated and floating cells increased gradually; the reactive oxygen species content and apoptosis rate increased gradually; the sphingosine 1-phosphate content in cells increased gradually; the relative mRNA and protein expressions of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 and sphingosine kinase 1 increased gradually, but the relative mRNA and protein expression of sphingosine kinase 1 decreased gradually. To conclude, sodium arsenite-injured human umbilical vein endothelial cell injury may be related to the activation of sphingosine kinase 1/sphingosine 1-phosphate signaling axis and the downregulation of sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor 1. Sphingosine kinase 1/sphingosine 1-phosphate signaling axis may become a new target of arsenic-induced cardiovascular injury.

Key words: sodium arsenite, human umbilical vein endothelial cell, oxidative stress, apoptosis, inflammation, sphingosine kinase 1/sphingosine 1-phosphate signaling axis