Effect of notoginsenoside Rg1 on p38MAPK expression of pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells exposed to hypoxia hypercapnia / 中国应用生理学杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effect of Notoginsenoside Rgl on p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (p38MAPK) expression in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) cultured in hypoxia hypercapnia.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>SD rat PASMCs was primary cultured, the cells of passage 2- 5 were divided into six groups normoxic group (N group), hypoxia hypercapnia group (H group), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) control group (HD group), Rg1 treated group (Rg low dose, Rg middle dose and Rg high dose group). Western blot was used to detect the expression of p-p38MAPK protein, and RT-PCR to determine the expression of p38MAPK mRNA.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Western blot and RT-PCR analysis indicated that the expression of p-p38MAPK protein and p-p38MAPK mRNA were significantly higher in HD group than those in N group (P < 0.01). Whereas, in Rg1 treated groups, the level of p-p38MAPK markedly decreased (P < 0.01) in dose-dependent manner.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Notoginsenoside Rg1 has protective effects on PASMCs under hypoxia hypercapnia condition, which may be related to inhibiting expression of p38MAPK.</p>