Anti-injury effect of ginkgolide B on vascular endothelial cells induced by hypoxia/reoxygenation

AIM:To investigate the protective effects of ginkgolide B (GB) on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) induced by hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) injury and the underlying mechanisms. METHODS: Cultured HUVECs were divided into five groups: control group, GB group (100 mol/L), H/R group (hypoxia 2 h/reoxygenation 24 h), GB+H/R group and GB+H/R+NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) group. Cell viability was measured by 3-［4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl］-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) colorimetric method and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), nitric oxide (NO) in the supernatant fluid of cultured cells was detected by spectrophotometer. Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) protein was detected by Western blot. RESULTS: H/R reduced the MTT OD value, increased LDH content and decreased NO level significantly (P<0.01 vs. control group), but GB reversed these effects on HUVECs. These GB effects were inhibited by L-NAME (P<0.01 vs. GB+H/R group). GB increased H/R-reduced content of eNOS (P<0.01 vs. H/R group), but this effect was not inhibited by L-NAME. CONCLUSION: GB has some anti-injury effects on HUVECs induced by H/R via enhancing the levels of eNOS and NO.