Curcumin modulates endothelial permeability and monocyte transendothelial migration by affecting endothelial cell...

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Biology
• Immunology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Curcumin exhibits beneficial properties for cardiometabolic health.
• Previous studies demonstrated curcumin's ability to reduce immune cell infiltration and prevent atherosclerosis in mice.
• Understanding curcumin's effects on endothelial cells and inflammatory pathways is crucial for its therapeutic application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of curcumin on monocyte adhesion and transendothelial migration (TEM).
• To elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms by which curcumin influences endothelial cell function.
• To assess curcumin's impact on endothelial permeability and cell morphology under static and shear stress conditions.

Main Methods:

• Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were pre-exposed to curcumin before TNF-α activation.
• Monocyte adhesion, TEM, and endothelial permeability assays were performed under static and shear stress.
• Gene expression analysis using macroarrays and molecular docking were employed to study signaling pathways.

Main Results:

• Curcumin significantly reduced monocyte adhesion and TEM under both static and shear stress conditions.
• Curcumin prevented TNF-α-induced changes in endothelial permeability and HUVEC area.
• Curcumin modulated 15 genes involved in cytoskeleton and endothelial junction dynamics, and inhibited NF-κB signaling.

Conclusions:

• Curcumin effectively reduces monocyte transendothelial migration via multimodal regulation of endothelial cell dynamics.
• Curcumin enhances vascular endothelial barrier function, suggesting potential benefits for preventing inflammatory vascular diseases.
• The findings support curcumin's therapeutic potential in managing cardiometabolic and inflammatory vascular conditions.