Vitisin B, a resveratrol tetramer, inhibits migration through inhibition of PDGF signaling and enhancement of cell adhesiveness in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells

Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) play an important role in normal vessel formation and in the development and progression of cardiovascular diseases. Grape plants contain resveratrol monomer and oligomers and drinking of wine made from grape has been linked to “French Paradox”. In this study we evaluated the effect of vitisin B, a resveratrol tetramer, on VSMC behaviors. Vitisin B inhibited basal and PDGF-induced VSMC migration. Strikingly, it did not inhibit VSMC proliferation but inversely enhanced cell cycle progression and proliferation. Among the tested resveratrol oligomers, vitisin B showed an excellent inhibitory activity and selectivity on PDGF signaling. The anti-migratory effect by vitisin B was due to direct inhibition on PDGF signaling but was independent of interference with PDGF binding to VSMCs. Moreover, the enhanced VSMC adhesiveness to matrix contributed to the anti-migratory effect by vitisin B. Fluorescence microscopy revealed an enhanced reorganization of actin cytoskeleton and redistribution of activated focal adhesion proteins from cytosol to the peripheral edge of the cell membrane. This was confirmed by the observation that enhanced adhesiveness was repressed by the Src inhibitor. Finally, among the effects elicited by vitisin B, only the inhibitory effect toward basal migration was partially through estrogen receptor activation. We have demonstrated here that a resveratrol tetramer exhibited dual but opposite actions on VSMCs, one is to inhibit VSMC migration and the other is to promote VSMC proliferation. The anti-migratory effect was through a potent inhibition on PDGF signaling and novel enhancement on cell adhesion.

► Several resveratrol oligomers from grape plants are examined on VSMC behaviors.
► Tetraoligomer vitisin B shows excellent inhibitory activity and selectivity.
► It exerts dual but opposing actions: anti-migratory and pro-proliferative effects.
► The anti-migratory effect results from anti-PDGF signaling and pro-adhesiveness.
► The more resveratrols oligomerize, the more potent effects they exert.