Inhibitory Effect of β-Sitosterol on the Ang II-Induced Proliferation of A7r5 Aortic Smooth Muscle Cells

Context. Excessive proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) plays a critical role in the development of cardiovascular diseases. β-Sitosterol exerts protective effects against the cardiovascular disease. However, whether β-sitosterol protects against the excessive proliferation of VSMCs...

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Main Authors: Yuankun Chen, Shumiao He, Ao Zeng, Siqing He, Xiaobao Jin, Chunmei Li, Wenjie Mei, Qun Lu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2023-01-01
Series:Analytical Cellular Pathology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2023/2677020
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author Yuankun Chen
Shumiao He
Ao Zeng
Siqing He
Xiaobao Jin
Chunmei Li
Wenjie Mei
Qun Lu
author_facet Yuankun Chen
Shumiao He
Ao Zeng
Siqing He
Xiaobao Jin
Chunmei Li
Wenjie Mei
Qun Lu
author_sort Yuankun Chen
collection DOAJ
description Context. Excessive proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) plays a critical role in the development of cardiovascular diseases. β-Sitosterol exerts protective effects against the cardiovascular disease. However, whether β-sitosterol protects against the excessive proliferation of VSMCs remain unclear. Objective. To explore the effects of β-sitosterol on VSMC proliferation. Materials and Methods. A7r5 cells were pretreated with 2 µM angiotensin II (Ang II) for 24 hr to establish an excessive VSMC proliferation model, followed by treatment with β-sitosterol for 24 hr. Cells were divided into five groups: control, Ang II, and Ang II + β-sitosterol (2, 4, 8 µM). CCK-8 assay, flow cytometry, and Ad-mCherry-GFP-LC3B assay analyzed cell proliferation, cell cycle, cell apoptosis, and autophagic flux. Additionally, the expression of proteins was detected by the western blotting. Results. β-Sitosterol effectively inhibited Ang II-induced A7r5 cell proliferation (IC50 : 6.841 µM at 24 hr). It achieved this by arresting cell cycle progression, promoting apoptosis, inhibiting autophagy, and suppressing the contractile–synthetic phenotypic switch. Mechanistically, β-sitosterol downregulated PCNA, Cyclin D1, and Bcl-2, while upregulating pro-caspase 3, cleaved-caspase 3, and Bax to induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Additionally, it suppressed the contractile–synthetic phenotypic transformation by downregulating OPN and upregulating α-SMA. The Ad-mCherry-GFP-LC3B Assay and western blotting revealed β-sitosterol’s autophagy inhibitory effects by downregulating LC3, ULK1, and Beclin-1 while upregulating P62 expression. Discussion and Conclusion. This study found for the first time that β-sitosterol could inhibit the proliferation of A7r5 cells induced by Ang II. β-Sitosterol treatment may be recommended as a therapeutic strategy to prevent the cardiovascular diseases.
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spelling doaj-art-822ddbd93cc34cee9d0a930584d239882025-08-20T03:35:25ZengWileyAnalytical Cellular Pathology2210-71852023-01-01202310.1155/2023/2677020Inhibitory Effect of β-Sitosterol on the Ang II-Induced Proliferation of A7r5 Aortic Smooth Muscle CellsYuankun Chen0Shumiao He1Ao Zeng2Siqing He3Xiaobao Jin4Chunmei Li5Wenjie Mei6Qun Lu7School of Basic Medical SciencesSchool of Basic Medical SciencesSchool of Basic Medical SciencesSchool of Basic Medical SciencesGuangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Bioactive SubstancesSchool of Basic Medical SciencesGuangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Bioactive SubstancesSchool of Basic Medical SciencesContext. Excessive proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) plays a critical role in the development of cardiovascular diseases. β-Sitosterol exerts protective effects against the cardiovascular disease. However, whether β-sitosterol protects against the excessive proliferation of VSMCs remain unclear. Objective. To explore the effects of β-sitosterol on VSMC proliferation. Materials and Methods. A7r5 cells were pretreated with 2 µM angiotensin II (Ang II) for 24 hr to establish an excessive VSMC proliferation model, followed by treatment with β-sitosterol for 24 hr. Cells were divided into five groups: control, Ang II, and Ang II + β-sitosterol (2, 4, 8 µM). CCK-8 assay, flow cytometry, and Ad-mCherry-GFP-LC3B assay analyzed cell proliferation, cell cycle, cell apoptosis, and autophagic flux. Additionally, the expression of proteins was detected by the western blotting. Results. β-Sitosterol effectively inhibited Ang II-induced A7r5 cell proliferation (IC50 : 6.841 µM at 24 hr). It achieved this by arresting cell cycle progression, promoting apoptosis, inhibiting autophagy, and suppressing the contractile–synthetic phenotypic switch. Mechanistically, β-sitosterol downregulated PCNA, Cyclin D1, and Bcl-2, while upregulating pro-caspase 3, cleaved-caspase 3, and Bax to induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Additionally, it suppressed the contractile–synthetic phenotypic transformation by downregulating OPN and upregulating α-SMA. The Ad-mCherry-GFP-LC3B Assay and western blotting revealed β-sitosterol’s autophagy inhibitory effects by downregulating LC3, ULK1, and Beclin-1 while upregulating P62 expression. Discussion and Conclusion. This study found for the first time that β-sitosterol could inhibit the proliferation of A7r5 cells induced by Ang II. β-Sitosterol treatment may be recommended as a therapeutic strategy to prevent the cardiovascular diseases.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2023/2677020
spellingShingle Yuankun Chen
Shumiao He
Ao Zeng
Siqing He
Xiaobao Jin
Chunmei Li
Wenjie Mei
Qun Lu
Inhibitory Effect of β-Sitosterol on the Ang II-Induced Proliferation of A7r5 Aortic Smooth Muscle Cells
Analytical Cellular Pathology
title Inhibitory Effect of β-Sitosterol on the Ang II-Induced Proliferation of A7r5 Aortic Smooth Muscle Cells
title_full Inhibitory Effect of β-Sitosterol on the Ang II-Induced Proliferation of A7r5 Aortic Smooth Muscle Cells
title_fullStr Inhibitory Effect of β-Sitosterol on the Ang II-Induced Proliferation of A7r5 Aortic Smooth Muscle Cells
title_full_unstemmed Inhibitory Effect of β-Sitosterol on the Ang II-Induced Proliferation of A7r5 Aortic Smooth Muscle Cells
title_short Inhibitory Effect of β-Sitosterol on the Ang II-Induced Proliferation of A7r5 Aortic Smooth Muscle Cells
title_sort inhibitory effect of β sitosterol on the ang ii induced proliferation of a7r5 aortic smooth muscle cells
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2023/2677020
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