title: Effects of ginsenoside Rg1 on the senescence of vascular smooth muscle cells.
abstract: The development of age-related cardiovascular disease is associated with the senescence of vascular cells. This study aimed to investigate the effect of ginsenoside Rg1 on vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) senescence. Primary VSMCs were cultured and divided into control, D-galactose (D-gal), Rg1-L, and Rg1-H groups, which were cultured without and with D-gal, and with low- and high-concentrations of Rg1, respectively. D-gal-induced cellular senescence was identified by b-galactosidase staining, and ultrastructural changes within the cells were observed. The expression of p16, p21, and p53 in the four groups of VSMCs was determined by western blotting, and the cell cycle was investigated by flow cytometry. Compared with the control group, there was an obvious change in the ultrastructure of VSMCs in the D-gal group, and the proportion of b-galactosidase-positive cells was significantly increased (P < 0.05). In addition, p16, p21, and p53 expression was significantly increased (P < 0.05) and the cell cycle was arrested in the G0/G1 phase. Compared with the D-gal group, the percentage of positive cells was significantly reduced (P < 0.05) in the Rg1 groups, the expression of p16, p21, and p53 was significantly reduced (P < 0.05), and the number of cells in the G0/G1 phase decreased (P < 0.05). Ginsenoside Rg1 can inhibit VSMC senescence, and the mechanisms may be related to its partial inhibition of the p16INK4a/Rb and p53-p21Cip1/Waf1signaling pathways during the cell cycle.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, The First College of Clinical Medical Science, China Three Gorges University, Yichang Central People's Hospital, Yichang, Hubei, China shuguolicn@126.com.
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, The First College of Clinical Medical Science, China Three Gorges University, Yichang Central People's Hospital, Yichang, Hubei, China.
authors.forename: M Z
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, The First College of Clinical Medical Science, China Three Gorges University, Yichang Central People's Hospital, Yichang, Hubei, China.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, The First College of Clinical Medical Science, China Three Gorges University, Yichang Central People's Hospital, Yichang, Hubei, China.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, The First College of Clinical Medical Science, China Three Gorges University, Yichang Central People's Hospital, Yichang, Hubei, China.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Deng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D016922:Cellular Senescence / Q000187:drug effects*; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000737:chemistry; D059585:G1 Phase Cell Cycle Checkpoints / Q000187:drug effects*; D005690:Galactose / Q000494:pharmacology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D036145:Ginsenosides / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D061251:Primary Cell Culture; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015398:Signal Transduction; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D036145:Ginsenosides; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D001616:beta-Galactosidase; C035054:ginsenoside Rg1; D005690:Galactose