Loxenatide attenuates ROS‐mediated vascular endothelial progenitor cell damage and mitochondrial dysfunction via SIRT3/Foxo3 signaling pathway

Abstract Diabetes mellitus (DM), becomes a main public health issue worldwide due to the rapid increase in DM patient numbers. The dysfunction of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in DM patients plays a critical role in endothelial repair and the progression of DM‐related vascular complications. Loxenatide is an a glucagon‐like peptide 1 receptor agonist, which is used to control glycemic in type 2 diabetes patients. However, the role of Loxenatide in EPCs remains to be investigated. EPCs were isolated, characterized, and treated with Loxenatide, high‐glucose, or 3‐TYP. quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction, flow cytometry, western blot, and cell counting kit‐8 assay were employed to validate the expression of gene and protein expressions and cell viability, respectively. Application of Seahorse XFp to measure oxygen consumption and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) were measured by Seahorse XFp and MMP assay. Loxenatide attenuated high‐glucose‐induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and mitochondrial‐dependent apoptosis of EPCs in a concentration‐dependent manner. The EPC mitochondrial respiration dysfunction induced by high glucose was also repressed by the loxenatide treatment. The protection effect of Loxenatide on EPCs against high‐glucose was applied by activating the sirtuin 3 (SIRT3)/Foxo3 signaling pathway. We demonstrated the regulatory role of Loxenatide in mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis of EPCs. We elucidated that Loxenatide protects EPC from high‐glucose‐induced apoptosis via ROS‐mediated mitochondrial pathway through the SIRT3/Foxo3 signing pathway. This may provide a new therapeutical target for the treatment of DM‐related vascular complications.