Effects of Apigenin on the Serum- and Platelet Derived Growth Factor-BB-Induced Proliferation of Rat Aortic Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells

The inhibitory effects of apigenin on the growth factor-induced proliferative responses, and expression of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase and its downstream c-fos in rat aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) were investigated. Apigenin significantly inhibited both 5 % fetal bovine serum (FBS)- and 50 ng/mL platelet derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB)-induced proliferation on primary cultured rat VSMCs in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition, apigenin resulted in a significant inhibition of the FBS-induced phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK 1/2) and expression of c-fos mRNA. These results suggest that apigenin inhibits FBS- and PDGF-BB-induced VSMC proliferation, and its activity may be mediated, at least in part, by down regulation of ERK 1/2 and its downstream c-fos mRNA.