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Lonicera japonica has been used in oriental medicine and folk medicine to alleviate conditions like carbuncles and fevers and exhibits a range of biological activities, such as antitumor and anti-inflammatory effects. However, its effects on atherosclerosis remain unknown. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the effects of Lonicera japonica flower absolute (LJFAb) on atherosclerotic and restenotic neointimal formation-linked responses, particularly on migration and proliferation, and the mechanism responsible in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). LJFAb was obtained by solvent extraction, and its GC/MS analysis identified 11 components in LJFAb. VSMCs were obtained from male Sprague Dawley rat aortas, and the biological effects of LJFAb on these cells were examined using viability, proliferation, migration, and aortic ring assays, and by immunoblotting. LJFAb inhibited the proliferation, migration, and sprouting of VSMCs exposed to platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB). Additionally, LJFAb attenuated the phosphorylations of PDGF receptor β (PDGFR β), spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk), and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) in PDGF-BB-exposed VSMCs. These findings suggest that LJFAb inhibits the proliferative and migratory activities of VSMCs, possibly by promoting the activation of PDGFR β/Syk or/and P38 MAPK signals. Therefore, LJFAb may be a useful starting point for developing treatments for vascular diseases related to neointimal formation.
Kim et al. (Thu,) studied this question.