Effect of Exogenous Rb Gene on
Expression of p21
Gene in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells
WANG Shu, TANG Wei-Qing and LI Jian
( Department of Biochemistry, Beijing Institute of Geriatrics, Beijing
100730, China )
Abstract The level of p21 mRNA
and protein in cultured human umbilical arterial vascular smooth muscle cells
were assayed by immunochemical staining and RT-PCR. The expression and
phosphorylation status of Rb protein were examined by Western blot. It was
observed that the senescent vascular smooth muscle cells exerted morphological
changes with transmission electron microscope and characterized with
β-galactosidase staining. The flow cytometry was used for cell cycle analysis.
Introduction of exogenous Rb gene could induce the expression of p21
gene, leading to inhibition of phosphorylation of Rb protein. The senescent
vascular smooth muscle cells at G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle were found
following transfection of Rb gene recombinant adenovirus. These
results show that exogenous Rb gene regulate cell cycle progression
and promote cell senescence by induction of p21 gene expression.
Key words Rb gene; p21 gene; vascular
smooth muscle cell
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