ABSTRACT
<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Clarifying the mechanisms underlying vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation is important for the prevention and treatment of vascular remodeling and the reverse of hyperplastic lesions. Previous research has shown that the gaseous signaling molecule sulfur dioxide (SO2) inhibits VSMC proliferation, but the mechanism for the inhibition of the angiotensin II (AngII)-induced VSMC proliferation by SO2has not been fully elucidated. This study was designed to investigate if SO2inhibited VSMC proliferation in mice with hypertension induced by AngII.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-six male C57 mice were randomly divided into control, AngII, and AngII + SO2groups. Mice in AngII group and AngII + SO2group received a capsule-type AngII pump implanted under the skin of the back at a slow-release dose of 1000 ng·kg-1·min-1. In addition, mice in AngII + SO2received intraperitoneal injections of SO2donor. Arterial blood pressure of tail artery was determined. The thickness of the aorta was measured by elastic fiber staining, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and phosphorylated-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (P-ERK) were detected in aortic tissues. The concentration of SO2 in serum and aortic tissue homogenate supernatant was measured using high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence determination. In the in vitro study, VSMC of A7R5 cell lines was divided into six groups: control, AngII, AngII + SO2, PD98059 (an inhibitor of ERK phosphorylation), AngII + PD98059, and AngII + SO2 + PD98059. Expression of PCNA, ERK, and P-ERK was determined by Western blotting.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In animal experiment, compared with the control group, AngII markedly increased blood pressure (P < 0.01) and thickened the aortic wall in mice (P < 0.05) with an increase in the expression of PCNA (P < 0.05). SO2, however, reduced the systemic hypertension and the wall thickness induced by AngII (P < 0.05). It inhibited the increased expression of PCNA and P-ERK induced by AngII (P < 0.05). In cell experiment, PD98059, an ERK phosphorylation inhibitor, blocked the inhibitory effect of SO2on VSMC proliferation (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>ERK signaling is involved in the mechanisms by which SO2inhibits VSMC proliferation in AngII-induced hypertensive mice via ERK signaling.</p>