The effects and mechanisms of high glucose on the phenotype transformation of rat vascular smooth muscle cells / 中国应用生理学杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects and mechanisms of high glucose on the phenotype transformation of rat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>VSMCs ere isolated from rat thoracic aorta and the 3rd-5th VSMCs were incubated with normal glucose (5.5 mmol/L), high glucose (25 mmol/L), or high glucose (25 mmol/L) + P38 inhibitor (25 mmol/L +SB203580) for another 24 hours. Then the gene expression of osteopontin (OPN), alpha smooth-actin (alpha-SMA), matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and matrix metalloproteinase-9(MMP-9) were assayed by real time RT-PCR, the protein expression of P38 were assayed by Western blot.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) High glucose promoted the phenotype transformation of VSMCs and up-regulated the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9. (2) High glucose promoted the phosphorylation of P38. (3) SB203580, the inhibitor of P38/MAPK signal pathway, inhibited the effects of high glucose on phenotype transformation and expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>High glucose may promote phenotype transformation of VSMCs via the signal pathway of P38/MAPK.</p>