RESUMO
The present study was aimed to investigate the effects of circRNA-0028171 on the apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells induced by arsenic trioxide (As2O3). Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were treated with 0-15 µmol/L As2O3 for 24 h. Then, cellular viability was measured by MTT assay. The expression levels of circRNA-0028171, Bcl-2 and Bax mRNA were detected by real-time quantitative PCR. Bcl-2/Bax protein ratio was detected by Western blot. Whether circRNA-0028171 was involved in the regulation of HUVECs by As2O3 was investigated by transfection with overexpression plasmid of circRNA-0028171 and siRNA. The results showed that compared with the control group, As2O3 group showed decreased cellular viability, reduced Bcl-2/Bax mRNA and protein ratios, and significantly lower expression of circRNA-0028171. Overexpression of circRNA-0028171 inhibited apoptosis of HUVECs induced by As2O3. Knockdown of circRNA-0028171 by siRNA promoted As2O3-induced apoptosis in HUVECs. These results suggest that circRNA-0028171 is involved in the vascular endothelial cell apoptosis induced by As2O3.