Abstract
Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) promotes monocyte adhesion to endothelium and accumulation of endothelium will lead to atherosclerosis. The present study explored Angiopoietin-like protein (Angptl7) as a potential target in the process of atherosclerosis, and its role in the adhesion and oxidative stress induced by TNF-α in human umbilical vein epithelial cells (HUVEC). The initiation of atherosclerosis is endothelial injury. Angptl7 was dramatically increased in TNF-α-induced HUVEC compared to the control cells. After Angptl7 effectively knocked-down in TNF-α-induced HUVEC, the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2) were prominently decreased, whereas the levels of nitric oxide (NO) and endothelia nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) were increased. Inhibition of Angptl7 significantly reversed TNF-α-induced cell adhesion in HUVEC. Finally, downregulation of Angptl7 significantly reduced the expression of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and enhanced the levels of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf-2) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in TNF-α-treated HUVEC. Angptl7 conducted TNF-α-induced oxidative stress and cell adhesion in HUVEC. Therefore, Angptl7 might participate in the development of endothelial injury and further atherosclerosis. This might give us a new insight for investigation of procession of atherosclerosis.