Berberine Protects Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells against LPS-Induced Apoptosis by Blocking JNK-Mediated Signaling

Figure 5

Effects of berberine on the levels of expression of apoptotic markers, phospho-p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38), phosphoextracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (Erk1/2), and phospho-C-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) in HUVECs in response to LPS. The cells were pretreated with various concentrations of berberine for 24 h and then incubated with LPS (5 μg/mL) for another 24 h. After LPS treatment, the cells were harvested, and the levels of caspase-3, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), and myeloid cell leukemia- (MCL-) 1 and the phosphorylation of p38, Erk1/2, and JNK were measured with western blotting and qPCR methods. (a) Representative of the protein levels of caspase-3, PARP, and MCL-1 in the cells subjected to different treatments; (b-c) representative of the quantification of the protein levels of PARP (b) and MCL-1 (c) in the cells subjected to different treatments; (d-e) representative of the mRNA levels of PARP (d) and MCL-1 (e) in the cells subjected to different treatments; (f) representative of the phosphorylation of p38, Erk1/2, and JNK in the cells subjected to different treatments. One representative experiment of three is shown. The values represent the mean ± SEM ( independent experiments). ; ; .

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