Dihydroartemisinin up-regulates VE-cadherin expression in human renal glomerular endothelial cells.

The antimalarial agent dihydroartemisinin (DHA) has been shown to be anti-inflammatory. In this study, we found that DHA increased the expression of the junctional protein vascular endothelial (VE)-cadherin in human renal glomerular endothelial cells. In addition, DHA inhibited TGF-β RI-Smad2/3 signalling and its downstream effectors SNAIL and SLUG, which repress VE-cadherin gene transcription. Correspondingly, DHA decreased the binding of SNAIL and SLUG to the VE-cadherin promoter. Together, our results suggest an effect of DHA in regulating glomerular permeability by elevation of VE-cadherin expression.