Lycium barbarum polysaccharide inhibits palmitic acid-induced BMSC apoptosis

Abstract

Palmitic acid (PA) is the most common saturated fatty acid in plants and animals. Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) is a kind of famous traditional Chinese herbal medicine with potential cytoprotective effects. In this study, we aimed to explore the protective effects of LBP on PA-induced bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BMSC) apoptosis and to find the molecular mechanisms involved in this process. The results demonstrated that PA administration reduced cell viability, induce cell apoptosis, activated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and inhibited PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Moreover, LBP administration suppressed the decrease of PA-induced cell viability, cell apoptosis, ER stress-induced activation and PI3K/AKT inhibition. In addition, we found that LBP exerts its cytoprotective effects by alleviating ER stress-induced apoptosis via the activation of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. In conclusion, we systematically explored the LBP’s protection mechanisms against PA-induced BMSC apoptosis, which may provide a theoretical basis for the clinical application of LBP.