Abstract:Aim To investigate the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2(VEGFR-2)and signaling pathways downstream in endothelial progenitor cell(EPC)treated with procyanidine under the environment of high glucose. Methods To isolate rat bone marrow EPC with Ficoll density gradient centrifugation, the proliferation and oxidative stress production was respectively detected using spectrophotometer and enzyme standard instrument in control glucose group(5.5 mmol/L glucose+25 mmol/L mannitol)and high glucose group(30 mmol/L glucose). To detect the proliferation of the EPC treated with various concentration of anthocyanins in different time points, in order to select optimum concentration of oligomeric proanthocyanidin(OPC)(30 mg/L). Tube formation capacity was respectively detected using Matrigel matrix in four groups, including control glucose+OPC group, control glucose group, high glucose+OPC group and high glucose group. Finally malondialdehyde(MDA)value and protein expression of VEGFR-2, p-AKT, nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κB)and inhibitor kappa B-α(IKB-α)was respectively detected in the 1, 3, 5, 7 days. Results Compared with control glucose group, the number of cell apoptosis and oxidative stress production were more in high glucose group. Tube formation capacity had no obvious difference between control glucose+OPC group and control glucose group. The number of tube formation in high glucose+OPC group was more than high glucose group. In control glucose group, the protein expression of VEGFR-2, p-AKT, NF-κB, IKB-α and oxidative stress production had no statistical differences in EPC treated with OPC in 1, 3, 5, 7 days. In high glucose group, oxidative stress production significantly reduced, while the protein expression of VEGFR-2, p-AKT, NF-κB obviously increase in EPC treated with OPC in 1, 3, 5, 7 days, excluding the protein expression of IKB-α. Conclusion OPC can alleviate oxidative damage of EPC affected on high glucose, and improve expression of VEGFR-2, and activate its downstream pathway to promote EPC proliferation.