Effect of ACE2 gene transfection on the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells in rats

Abstract

To investigate the effect of AngII on the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) in rats after the transfection of ACE2 gene. pm-ACE2 was transfected into the cultured VSMC by Lipofectamine 2000. The normal cell group, AngIIgroup and pcDNA3.1/Hygro(+) transfected + AngII group were taken as controls respectively. After the transfection of ACE2 gene, the cell proliferative effect of AngII on VSMC was investigated by cell counting kit-8 (CCK8) and cell cycle detection by fluorescence activated cell sorter (FACS). The (optical density) OD value of AngIIgroup was obviously higher than that of other groups. And it was obviously lower in the pm-ACE2 + AngII group than the AngII group (0.535 ± 0.004 vs 0.866 ± 0.026, P < 0.05). Compared with other groups, the G(0)/G(1) stage percentage of VSMC was obviously lower in the AngII group (58.80% ± 2.00%, P < 0.05) while the percentage of S stage was obviously higher (35.90% ± 1.00%, P < 0.05). Compared with the AngII group, the G(0)/G(1) stage percentage of VSMC was obviously higher (63.90% ± 1.40%, P < 0.05) in the pm-ACE2 + AngII group while the percentage of S stage was obviously lower (27.80% ± 0.46%, P < 0.05). The over-expression of ACE2 gene can inhibit the proliferation of AngII-induced VSMC.