Investigation of the effect of tanshinone IIA on nitric oxide production in human vascular endothelial cells by fluorescence imaging

Nitric oxide (NO) has been proved to be a potent vasodilator that played an important role in regulating vascular tones. Tanshinone, one of the active components of Radix Salvia miltiorrhiza, was used widely in clinics in China for treating cardiovascular diseases. The objective of this study was to sensitively and specifically investigate the effects of tanshinone IIA, one important pharmacological constituent of tanshinone, on the release of NO from human vascular endothelial cells (HVECs) by fluorescence imaging with an excellent fluorescent probe 1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-2,6-dicarbethoxy-8-(3′,4′-diaminophenyl)-difluoroboradiaza-s-indacence (TMDCDABODIPY). After cells were incubated with tanshinone IIA, TMDCDABODIPY was employed to label NO. Following the tagging, real-time imaging of NO release from the cells was performed with inverted fluorescence microscope. The results of the experiments showed that tanshinone IIA could induce NO production significantly enhanced in HVECs. The activation of NO by tanshinone IIA may be employed therapeutically in modulating NO production in HVECs.