Protective effect of felodipine on human umbilical vein endothelial cells injured by oxidized low-density lipoprotein

Objective: To investigate the protective effect of felodipine on reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, mRNA level of inflammatory factors such as intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) injured by oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) so as to explore felodipine's anti-atherosclerosis mechanism independent of its anti-hypertensive effect. Methods: Isolated HUVECs were treated with ox-LDL at different concentrations (6, 12.5 and 25 mg/L) for 24 hours so that the optimal concentration and time of ox-LDL treatment were selected. Then the cells were incubated with ox-LDL and treated with felodipine at different concentrations (0.1, 1 and 10 μmol/L). Intracellular ROS level was determined by flow cytometry (FCM). Expressions of inflammatory factors ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 were measured by real time-polymerase chain reaction (real time-PCR). Results: ROS generation was increased in HUVECs after treatment with different concentrations (6, 12.5 and 25 mg/L) of ox-LDL for 24 hours and there was a significant difference at 25 mg/L ox-LDL (P<0.01); ROS generation was decreased after felodipine treatment for 24 hours (P<0.05). The mRNA expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 in HUVECs during treatment with 25 mg/L ox-LDL was significantly higher than that in the control group (P<0.05), but ICAM-1 mRNA and VCAM-1 mRNA expressions were significantly down-regulated during treatment with 0.1 μmol/L felodipine (P<0.05). Conclusion: Felodipine has an anti-atherosclerosis endothelial protective effect. The anti-oxidation and anti-inflammation mechanism may be related to its inhibiting HUVECs ROS generation induced by ox-LDL as well as down-regulating ICAM-1 and VCAM-1mRNA expressions.