Inhibitory effect of puerarin on vascular smooth muscle cells proliferation induced by oxidised low-density lipoprotein via suppressing ERK 1/2 phosphorylation and PCNA expression

Puerarin, an isoflavonoid isolated from the traditional Chinese herbal medicine Pueraria lobata (Wild.) Ohwi, has been shown to process antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-hypercholesterolemic, and anti-hyperglycemic activities in vivo and in vitro. The aim of the present study was to investigate the antiproliferative effects and the possible mechanisms of puerarin in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) stimulated with oxidised low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL). VSMCs were cultured and pretreated with different concentrations of puerarin (0, 1, 10, 50 µM) before stimulated by ox-LDL (50 µg/mL). Cell proliferation was evaluated by MTT assay. Flow cytometry was used to study the influence of puerarin on cell cycle. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) expression and phosphorylation levels of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 were detected by western blotting analysis. The results indicated that puerarin significantly inhibited VSMCs proliferation induced by ox-LDL and phosphorylation of ERK 1/2. Furthermore, puerarin also blocked the ox-LDL-induced cell-cycle progression at G1/S-interphase and down-regulated the expression of PCNA of VSMCs. The results suggest puerarin inhibits ox-LDL-induced proliferation of VSMCs by suppressing ERK 1/2 phosphorylation and PCNA expression.