title: Tocopherols and 6-hydroxy-chroman-2-carbonitrile derivatives inhibit vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation by a nonantioxidant mechanism.
abstract: The effects of two groups of similar compounds, a series of tocopherols and one of 6-hydroxy-chroman-2-carbonitrile, have been studied in vascular smooth muscle cells. A poor correlation has been found between antiproliferative and antioxidant properties of these molecules. D-alpha-Tocopherol inhibits cell proliferation, while D-alpha-tocopherylquinone has been found neither to inhibit nor to activate. D-beta-Tocopherol, a poor inhibitor of smooth muscle cell proliferation, has been shown to be capable of preventing and reversing the inhibition by D-alpha-tocopherol. It is concluded that the tocopherols and carbonitrile derivatives tested here appear to inhibit smooth muscle cell proliferation by a nonantioxidant mechanism. The competition between D-alpha-tocopherol and D-beta-tocopherol suggests the existence of a common binding site for the two molecules.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Biochemie und Molekularbiologie, Universität Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Boscoboinik
authors.forename: N K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Ozer
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Moser
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Azzi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D001665:Binding Sites; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002839:Chromans / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D009570:Nitriles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D002839:Chromans; D009570:Nitriles; D014810:Vitamin E