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Dihydroartemisinin up-regulates VE-cadherin expression in human renal glomerular endothelial cells
Liqun Li1, Xiaocui Chen1, Fengyun Dong1
1Laboratory of Microvascular Medicine, Medical Research Center, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
Abstract:
The antimalarial agent dihydroartemisinin (DHA) has been shown to be anti-inflammatory. In this study, we found that DHA increased the expression of the junctional protein vascular endothelial (VE)-cadherin in human renal glomerular endothelial cells. In addition, DHA inhibited TGF-β RI-Smad2/3 signalling and its downstream effectors SNAIL and SLUG, which repress VE-cadherin gene transcription. Correspondingly, DHA decreased the binding of SNAIL and SLUG to the VE-cadherin promoter. Together, our results suggest an effect of DHA in regulating glomerular permeability by elevation of VE-cadherin expression.
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