Protective effect of rubber seed oil on human endothelial cells.

Objective: This study was conducted to characterize the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of Rubber Seed Oil (RSO) against atherosclerosis (AS) through the study of the protective effects and mechanisms on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) injury induced by oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL).

Methods: HUVECs were treated with RSO, ox-LDL, RSO + ox-LDL, respectively, followed by cell activity testing, levels of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, ROS, NO, the mRNA expression of eNOS and protein expression of MCP-1, VCAM-1, eNOS, TLR4, NF-κB p65、p-NF-κB p65.

Results: Compared with the ox-LDL group, cell viability, NO level and the expression of eNOS mRNA significantly increased. and the levels of pro-inflammatory factors such as IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, IL-10, ROS were significantly decreased, which was accompanied by decreases in TLR4 mRNA, TLR4, MCP-1, VCAM-1 protein expression, as well as the ratio of NF-κB p-p65/p65 in the group treated with 250 μg/ml ox-LDL + 50 μg/ml RSO, 250 μg/ml ox-LDL + 100 μg/ml RSO, 250 μg/ml ox-LDL + 150 μg/ml RSO.

Conclusions: RSO can reduce the expression of pro-inflammatory mediators, oxidative factors involved in injured vascular endothelial cells, exhibiting anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties HUVECs exposed to ox-LDL. In addition, it may alleviate endothelial cell damage by inhibiting the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway.