Biliverdin reductase (BVR), a critical enzyme in the heme catabolic pathway, plays a pivotal role in maintaining endothelial integrity by converting biliverdin (BV) to bilirubin (BR), a potent endogenous antioxidant. This study explored the protective role of BVR against oxidative stress in human vascular endothelial cells, emphasizing its interaction with the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) signaling pathway. Our findings demonstrated that inhibition of BVR, particularly through apomorphine, significantly reduced the cytoprotective and antioxidant effects of bilirubin and biliverdin, underscoring BVR’s essential role of BVR in endothelial cellular defense mechanisms.
We identified a direct link between BVR activity and ERK1/2 modulation, wherein ERK1/2 activation impaired BVR’s protective effects of BVR under oxidative stress conditions, including hypoxia-reoxygenation injury. Conversely, the inhibition of ERK1/2 by PD-98059 restored and amplified the antioxidant capacity of bilirubin, highlighting the negative regulatory role of ERK1/2 in BVR-mediated protection. Additionally, the use of C-box and D-box inhibitors targeting BVR-ERK1/2 binding revealed differential effects on BVR activity, with C-box inhibition modestly enhancing BVR’s antioxidative function of BVR, while D-box inhibition showed minimal effects.
Our study also demonstrated the detrimental effect of apomorphine on BVR activity, leading to diminished BR levels and increased oxidative stress in arterial rings exposed to ABAP-induced ROS. These findings highlight the therapeutic potential of modulating the BVR/ERK1/2 axis to enhance BVR activity, mitigate oxidative stress, and improve vascular health. Notably, the combination of BR and ERK1/2 inhibitors was particularly effective at reducing ROS levels, improving endothelial function, and preventing vascular damage.
This research highlights BVR as a promising therapeutic target for oxidative stress-related endothelial dysfunction and cardiovascular diseases. Future studies should focus on developing specific modulators of BVR activity and exploring its interactions with other signaling pathways to fully harness its protective potential in clinical settings.
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