[Sbudies on the effect of parthenolide on the proliferation of rat vascular smooth muscle cells and the mechanism].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of parthenolide on the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cell(VSMC) and its mechanism. METHOD: Vascular smooth muscle cell was cultured, the protein levels of c-fos, c-myc, p15, p16, p18, p19 were measured by Western blot method, cell cycle were examined with flow cytometry, and the DNA synthesis was determined by [3H]-TdR incorporation. RESULT: Parthenolide inhibited protein levels of c-fos, c-myc in a time-dependent manner but didn't affect the protein levels of p15, p16, p18, p19. Flow cytometric DNA analysis revealed that parthenolide increased significantly G0/G1 phase of VSMC and decreased S phase of VSMC in a dose-dependent manner. Parthenolide inhibited [3H]-TdR incorporation in a dose dependent manner. CONCLUSION: Parthenolide may inhibit proliferation of VSMC by inhibiting the expressions of c-fos, c-myc, but not the expressions of p15, p16, p18, p19.