Tea polyphenols inhibit rat vascular smooth muscle cell adhesion and migration on collagen and laminin via interference with cell-ECM interaction.

Occlusive lesions of atherosclerosis are the consequence of focal accumulation within the innermost layer of the artery of leukocytes from the circulation and smooth muscle cells (SMCs) from the underlying media. Tea polyphenol especially (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) has been shown to have cardiovascular protective effect. However, the effects of other catechins such as (+)-catechin, and (-)-epicatechin-3-gallate (ECG) on SMC's functions have not been fully understood. In the present study, we investigate the effects of tea catechins on SMC adhesion and migration. Our results indicate that EGCG and ECG but not (+)-catechin were able to inhibit SMC adhesion on collagen and laminin, two abundant extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins expressed in physiological and pathological conditions. Further analyses indicate that EGCG could bind laminin more than collagen. Moreover, EGCG could inhibit SMC adhesion to integrin beta1 Ab and affect SMC's beta1 integrin expression, suggesting it affects SMC's cellular components. In migration experiment, laminin- and PDGF-BB-induced SMC migration were both inhibited by EGCG in a dose-dependent manner. Taken together, the data presented here provide evidence showing that among these tea catechins, EGCG and ECG are relatively effective inhibitors on SMC-ECM interaction and their action mechanisms are through interference with SMC's integrin beta1 receptor and binding to ECM proteins.