Apoptosis of Endothelial Cells may be Mediated by Genes of Peroxisome Proliferator-activated Receptor γ1 (PPAR γ1) and PPARα Genes

Abstract

Apoptosis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was prevented by transfection with the gene for the human full-length peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα), or acyl-coenzyme A synthetase (AcylCS) into HUVECs. In contrast, ligands/activators of PPARγ1 induced apoptosis by a cytochrome c-dependent mechanism in HUVECs transfected with human full-length PPARγ1, but not in hepatocytes. Co-trasfection of PPARγ1 and PPARα protected the HUVEC apoptosis. The results suggest that the apoptosis of endothelial cells may be mediated by genes of PPARγ1 and PPARα .