Rosuvastatin inhibits the smooth muscle cell proliferation by targeting TNFα mediated Rho kinase pathway.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNFα) is capable of activating Rho kinase pathway which leads to smooth muscle cell proliferation and the intervention function of Rosuvastatin, and clarify the mechanism and intervention manner of anti-atherosclerosis by Rosuvastatin.


METHODS
Wistar neonate rat smooth muscle cells were cultured, and the activity of cell proliferation was determined by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT). The expression of Rho kinase genes after the stimulation of TNFα was evaluated by RT-PCR. Western blot method was used to measure the protein expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) after TNFα stimulation and Rosuvastatin intervention in smooth muscle cell.


RESULTS
The TNFα stimulation significantly enhanced the expression of Rho kinase and increased the expression of PCNA protein in smooth muscle cells (P < 0.05). These effects were positively correlated with prolonged treatment whereas additional Rosuvastatin administration inhibited the above-mentioned effects (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The activation of TNFα mediated Rho kinase signaling pathway can significantly promote smooth muscle cell proliferation, and Rosuvastatin can not only inhibit this pathway but also the induced proliferation.
Department of Cardiology, Fengtian Hospital affiliated to Shenyang Medical College, Shenyang 110024, Liaoning Province, China.
Xiao
X
Sun
Hao
H
Tong
Man
M
Zhang
Xiao-Hang
XH
Wang