The H<sub>2</sub>S-Donor Erucin Exhibits Protective Effects against Vascular Inflammation in Human Endothelial and Smooth Muscle Cells
Alma Martelli,
Eugenia Piragine,
Era Gorica,
Valentina Citi,
Lara Testai,
Eleonora Pagnotta,
Luca Lazzeri,
Nicola Pecchioni,
Valerio Ciccone,
Rosangela Montanaro,
Lorenzo Di Cesare Mannelli,
Carla Ghelardini,
Vincenzo Brancaleone,
Lucia Morbidelli,
Vincenzo Calderone
Affiliations
Alma Martelli
Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Eugenia Piragine
Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Era Gorica
Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Valentina Citi
Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Lara Testai
Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Eleonora Pagnotta
Research Centre for Cereal and Industrial Crops, CREA Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, Via di Corticella 128, 40134 Bologna, Italy
Luca Lazzeri
Research Centre for Cereal and Industrial Crops, CREA Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, Via di Corticella 128, 40134 Bologna, Italy
Nicola Pecchioni
Research Centre for Cereal and Industrial Crops, CREA Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, S.S. 673 Km 25,200, 71122 Foggia, Italy
Valerio Ciccone
Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via A. Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy
Rosangela Montanaro
Department of Science, University of Basilicata, Via dell’Ateneo lucano, 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy
Lorenzo Di Cesare Mannelli
Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health–NEUROFARBA–Section of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Florence, 50139 Florence, Italy
Carla Ghelardini
Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health–NEUROFARBA–Section of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Florence, 50139 Florence, Italy
Vincenzo Brancaleone
Department of Science, University of Basilicata, Via dell’Ateneo lucano, 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy
Lucia Morbidelli
Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via A. Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy
Vincenzo Calderone
Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Preservation of vascular wall integrity against degenerative processes associated with ageing, fat-rich diet and metabolic diseases is a timely therapeutical challenge. The loss of endothelial function and integrity leads to cardiovascular diseases and multiorgan inflammation. The protective effects of the H2S-donor erucin, an isothiocyanate purified by Eruca sativa Mill. seeds, were evaluated on human endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cells. In particular, erucin actions were evaluated on cell viability, ROS, caspase 3/7, inflammatory markers levels and the endothelial hyperpermeability in an inflammatory model associated with high glucose concentrations (25 mM, HG). Erucin significantly prevented the HG-induced decrease in cell viability as well as the increase in ROS, caspase 3/7 activation, and TNF-α and IL-6 levels. Similarly, erucin suppressed COX-2 and NF-κB upregulation associated with HG exposure. Erucin also caused a significant inhibition of p22phox subunit expression in endothelial cells. In addition, erucin significantly prevented the HG-induced increase in endothelial permeability as also confirmed by the quantification of the specific markers VE-Cadherin and ZO-1. In conclusion, our results assess anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects by erucin in vascular cells undergoing HG-induced inflammation and this protection parallels the preservation of endothelial barrier properties.
