The effective constituent puerarin, from Pueraria lobata, inhibits the proliferation and inflammation of vascular smooth muscle in atherosclerosis through the miR-29b-3p/IGF1 pathway

Abstract

Context

Atherosclerosis (AS) is the main cause of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Pueraria lobata (Willd.) Ohwi (Fabaceae) has a positive effect on improving these diseases.

Objective

The P. lobata effect on the proliferation and inflammation of vascular smooth muscle in AS and the potential mechanism were investigated.

Materials and methods

By feeding a high-fat diet to 8-week-old apolipoprotein E knockout mice, an atherosclerosis model was created. H&E and IHC staining were used to analyse the histopathology of mice. CCK-8, TUNEL, and scratch tests were used to detect cell proliferation, apoptosis, and migration after 24 h treatment, respectively. ELISA was performed to evaluate the level of IL-6 and IL-8. The target miRNA and its downstream target gene were screened by the bioinformatics method; RT-qPCR has conducted to analyse the expression of these genes.

Results

In the aortic tissue and serum of AS mice, puerarin can lower the expression of α-SMA and the inflammatory proteins IL-6 and IL-8. Puerarin (200 M) decreased hVSMC proliferation, migration, and IL-6 and IL-8 secretion by more than half. The inhibitory impact of puerarin on hVSMC was decreased by overexpression of miR-29b-3p. IGF1 was miR-29b-3p's downstream target gene. IGF1 expression increased almost 3-fold in AS mice and hVSMC, but miR-29b-3p mimic inhibited it. The effect of miR-29b-3p on hVSMC was reversed when IGF1 was overexpressed.

Discussion and conclusions

Puerarin inhibits the proliferation and inflammation of vascular smooth muscle in AS through the miR-29b-3p/IGF1 pathway. Puerarin may have a beneficial effect in the treatment of atherosclerosis and offer a novel therapy option.

Keywords:

• Inflammatory factors
• hVSMC

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Author contributions

Zheng Wang conceived and designed the study. Yanan Li, Xiangke Yuan, Xiangke Yuan, Dengfeng Yao, Zongyue Gao, Zhaoyang Niu performed the literature search and data extraction. Jianpeng Li drafted the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Data availability statement

The datasets used and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Training Program for Top Talents of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Henan Province and Key scientific research project plans of higher education institutions in Henan Province (19A360011).