Rhodiola crenulata root extract (RCE) has been shown to possess protective activities against hypoxia both in vitro and in vivo. However, the effects of RCE on response to hypoxia in the endothelium remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to examine the effects of RCE in endothelial cells challenged with hypoxic exposure and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells were pretreated with or without RCE and then exposed to hypoxia (1% O₂) for 24 h. Cell viability, nitric oxide (NO) production, oxidative stress markers, as well as mechanistic readouts were studied. We found that hypoxia-induced cell death, impaired NO production, and oxidative stress. These responses were significantly attenuated by RCE treatment and were associated with the activation of AMP-activated kinase and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 signaling pathways. In summary, we showed that RCE protected endothelial cells from hypoxic insult and suggested that R. crenulata might be useful for the prevention of hypoxia-associated vascular dysfunction.
Keywords: AMPK; ERK; Rhodiola crenulata; endothelial NOS; endothelial cell; hypoxia.