Transfer of wild-type p53 gene effectively inhibits vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo

Abstract

Wild-type p53 (wt-p53), a key protein in cell cycle regulation, inactivates the G1 cyclins through direct activation of p21(Waf-1/Cip- 1/Sdi-1). Persistent vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation following vascular interventions hinders the benefits of these therapeutics. Using the hemagglutinating virus of Japan/liposome-mediated gene transfer method, we examined the inhibitory effect of overexpression of exogenous wt- p53 on VSMC proliferation in vitro and in vivo. We assessed the proliferative activity of human p53 cDNA-transduced bovine VSMCs by DNA synthesis assay, flow cytometry, and cell proliferation assay. p53 gene transfer reduced thymidine incorporation of VSMCs stimulated by platelet-derived growth factor-BB (P