title: Pterostilbene Inhibits Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Migration and Matrix Metalloproteinase-2 through Modulation of MAPK Pathway.
abstract: Smooth muscle cells (SMCs) migration and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) activation are main roles in atherosclerosis. Pterostilbene (trans-3, 5-dimethoxy-4-hydroxystilbene) is known to have various pharmacologic effects such as anti-inflammatory and anticarcinogenic properties. The present study aimed to investigate the anti-atheroscleroic property of pterostilbene in the rat smooth muscle cell (SMC) A7r9 cell lines and the underlying mechanisms. In this study, pterostilbene treatment significantly inhibited migration/invasion capacities of in A7r9 cell. Pterostilbene was also found to significantly decreased MMP-2 activity and expression by gelatin zymography and western blot assay in SMC. In the MAPK signaling pathway, western blot assay also indicated that pterostilbene up-regulated the phosphorylation of extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (Erk)1/2. Moreover, inhibition of Erk1/2 by specific inhibitors significantly abolished the pterostilbene-decreased expression of MMP-2 and migration/invasion capacities. These findings suggest that pterostilbene inhibited SMC migration and that MMP-2 activation could be mediated via Erk1/2 phosphorylation. It is further possible that pterostilbene could play a novel role in the treatment of atherosclerosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pterostilbene is a plant polyphenol compound that is principally found in blueberries. In this study, we found that pterostilbene could inhibit SMCs migration via down-regulation of MMP-2. Particularly, expression of MMP-2 was found to be strongly associated with the phosphorylation of Erk1/2.
authors.affiliation: Inst. of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical Univ, Taichung, Taiwan.|School of Nutrition, Chung Shan Medical Univ, Taichung, Taiwan.|and with Dept. of Nutrition, Chung Shan Medical Univ. Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsing-Chun
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Inst. of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical Univ, Taichung, Taiwan.|Cancer Research Center, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ming-Ju
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.affiliation: Div. of Basic Medical Science, Hung Kuang Univ, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chiung-Huei
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Inst. of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical Univ, Taichung, Taiwan.|Dept. of Medical Research, Chung Shan Medical Univ. Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shun-Fa
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Inst. of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical Univ, Taichung, Taiwan.|Dept. of Internal Medicine, Chung Shan Medical Univ. Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chien-Ning
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000378:metabolism; D029798:Blueberry Plants / Q000737:chemistry*; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects*; D015536:Down-Regulation; D008297:Male; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013267:Stilbenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D013267:Stilbenes; C107773:pterostilbene; C064297:4-hydroxystilbene; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2
keywords: matrix metalloproteinase-2; migration; pterostilbene; smooth muscle cells