Inhibitory effect of siRNA on calcineurin activity and vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation in rats

    LIN Yao, NIU Bo, JIE Jun, YAN Zhen

    Department of Biochemistry, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 300060, China, Center of Biological Technology, School of Pharmacy, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi¬ðan 710033, China

    ¡¾Abstract¡¿ AIM: To study the changes of calcineurin (CaN) activity and cª²fos expression level in the proliferation of rat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) stimulated by neuropeptide Y (NPY), and the inhibition of siRNA on the activity of CaN and the proliferation of VSMCs. METHODS: VSMCs from thoracic aorta in rats were cultured in vitro using tissuepiece anchorage primary culture. VSMCs were treated with NPY and the cell proliferation was observed. RNA interference (RNAi) was used to block CaNª²depended signal transduction pathway in rat VSMCs stimulated by NPY, then the activity of CaN, the proliferation of VSMCs and the expression level of cª²fos were tested. RESULTS: NPY could increase the CaN activity, the proliferation of VSMCs, and the expression level of cª²fos. RNAi inhibited the activity of CaN, VSMCs proliferation and cª²fos expression in VSMCs. CONCLUSION: CaN takes part in the proliferation of cultured VSMCs stimulated by NPY, while RNAi blocks the proliferation of VSMCs stimulated by NPY by inhibiting the activity of CaN. ......