Green tea polyphenols inhibit low-density lipoprotein-induced proliferation of rat vascular smooth muscle cells

Abstract

Abstract: The proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) is one of the major mechanisms of intimal thickening in atherosclerosis and post-angioplasty restenosis. Elevated plasma levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerotic vascular diseases. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of green tea polyphenols on the proliferation and p44/42 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activity in rat VSMCs simulated by native LDL. Rat aortic VSMCs were cultured and treated with LDL (100 μg/ml) in the absence or presence of green tea polyphenols, and the cell proliferation was subsequently quantified by non-radioactive MTS/PES assay and the cell cycle analyzed by flow cytometry. The p44/42 MAPK activity was evaluated by immunoblotting using anti-p44/42 phospho-MAPK antibody. Compared with the cells without polyphenol treatment, the proliferation of the VSMCs induced by LDL was dose-dependently inhibited by green tea polyphenols (P<0.05), with more numerous cells in G₀/G₁ phase (P<0.05) as shown by flow cytometry analysis. LDL significantly enhanced the p44/42 MAPK activity, an effect obviously inhibited by green tea polyphenols (at 100 μg/ml). These results suggest that green tea polyphenols can inhibit high levels of LDL-induced proliferation of phosphorylated p44/42 MAPK expression in rat VSMCs. Green tea polyphenols may, therefore, offer vascular protection by inhibiting VSMC growth in response to hypercholesterolemia.

CLC Number:

R996.3

OUYANG Ping¹, PENG Wen-lie², LAI Wen-yan¹, XU An-long². Green tea polyphenols inhibit low-density lipoprotein-induced proliferation of rat vascular smooth muscle cells[J]. Journal of Southern Medical University, 2004, 24(09): 975-979.

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