title: Neferine inhibits angiotensin II-induced rat aortic smooth muscle cell proliferation predominantly by downregulating fractalkine gene expression.
abstract: Neferine inhibits the angiotensin II (AngII)-induced proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs), but the underlying mechanism is unclear. The aim of this study was to explore the mechanism underlying the effect of neferine on the proliferation of vascular SMCs. Rat aortic SMCs (RASMCs) were used and fractalkine (Fkn) gene expression was measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis. The proliferation of RASMCs was analyzed by MTT assay and flow cytometry. It was revealed that AngII induced Fkn expression in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Fkn-knockdown with small interfering RNA attenuated the AngII-induced RASMC proliferation. Furthermore, neferine inhibited Fkn expression and attenuated the AngII-induced RASMC proliferation. These findings suggest that the Fkn gene may play an important role in AngII-induced RASMC proliferation and that neferine acts to attenuate AngII-induced RASMC proliferation by inhibiting Fkn expression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Lulu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yongwen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Shao
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zhenyu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Saidan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
keywords: angiotensin II; fractalkine; neferine; proliferation; rat aortic smooth muscle cells