Resveratrol attenuates hyperproliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells from spontaneously hypertensive rats: Role of ROS and ROS-mediated cell signaling.

Resveratrol, a natural polyphenolic compound has been reported to attenuate angiotensin II -induced vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) hypertrophy; however, whether resveratrol could also inhibit hyperproliferation of VSMC from spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) is unexplored. The present study investigates the effect of resveratrol on hyperproliferation of VSMC from SHR and the underlying molecular mechanisms responsible for this response. For these studies, aortic VSMC from SHR and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats were used. The proliferation of VSMC was determined by [3H] thymidine incorporation and the levels of proteins were determined by Western blotting. The enhanced proliferation exhibited by VSMC from SHR was attenuated by resveratrol. In addition, resveratrol attenuated the overexpression of cyclin D1, cyclin E, cyclin dependent kinase 4 (Cdk4), Cdk2, phosphorylated retinoblastoma protein (pRb), Giα proteins and enhanced phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and AKT in VSMC from SHR. Furthermore, the overproduction of superoxide anion, increased NADPH oxidase activity, overexpression of Nox2, Nox4 and p47phox proteins, increased phosphorylation of EGFR, IGF-IR, and c-Src were all abrogated by resveratrol. These results suggest that resveratrol attenuates the hyperproliferation of VSMC from SHR through the inhibition of ROS, c-Src, growth factor receptor activation, MAPK/PI3K, Giα and cell cycle proteins that are implicated in VSMC hyperproliferation.