Crocetin prevents AGEs-induced vascular endothelial cell apoptosis

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are causally correlated with diabetic vascular complications. AGEs triggered oxidative reaction then accelerated endothelial cell apoptosis is a critical event in the process of vascular complications. Crocetin, a carotenoid has been previously shown to have strong antioxidant activates. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate the role of crocetin on the prevention of AGEs-mediated cell apoptosis in bovine aortic endothelial cells (BEC) and the mechanisms involved. Exposure of BEC to 200 μg/ml AGEs for 48 h results in a significant increase in apoptotic rate, compared with control. AGEs-induced DNA fragmentation preferentially occurred in the S phase cells. Crocetin prevented AGEs-induced BEC apoptosis, which correlates with crocetin attenuation of AGEs mediated increase of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation and elevation of intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) level (P < 0.01 versus AGEs group). These results demonstrate that crocetin prevents AGEs-induced BEC apoptosis through ROS inhibition and [Ca2+]i stabilization and suggest that crocetin may exert a beneficial effect in preventing diabetes-associated vascular complications.