Practical Geriatrics ›› 2026, Vol. 40 ›› Issue (4): 357-361.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1003-9198.2026.04.006

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Study on Fibulin-1 upregulating P16, P21, and P53 to promote VSMC senescence

HUANG Rong, HOU Jiwen, JIANG Hua, ZHANG Dan, WANG Zikai   

  1. Department of Geriatrics, Clinical Medical College/Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University, Chengdu 610081, China
  • Received:2025-09-09 Online:2026-04-23 Published:2026-04-23
  • Contact: JIANG Hua, Email:63025112@qq.com

Abstract: Objective To explore the effect of Fibulin-1 on the senescence of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) and its possible mechanisms. Methods VSMCs of rat cultured in vitro were divided into three groups for the experiment. The control group was DMEM culture medium without D-galactose, the D-galactose group was DMEM culture medium containing D-galactose, and the experimental group was DMEM culture medium with Fibulin-1 recombinant protein and D-galactose. β-galactosidase staining was used to analyze the cell senescence among each group, transmission electron microscopy was used to observe the ultrastructural changes of cells, and Western blot method was used to detect the protein expressions of P16, P21 and P53. Results β-galactosidase staining analysis showed that the number of senescent cells in the D-galactose group and the experimental group was significantly increased compared with the control group, especially in the expermental group(P<0.05). Through the transmission electron microscopy, we found that the nuclei and extranuclear organelles of the cells in the experimental group showed more obvious senescence changes. The expressions of P16, P21 and P53 proteins in the D-galactose group and the experimental group were significantly increased than those in the control group, especially in the experimental group (P<0.05). Conclusions The Fibulin-1 recombinant protein promotes the aging signs of VSMC at both cellular and sub-cellular levels, and its mechanism may be related to Fibulin-1 upregulating the expressions of cell cycle inhibitory proteins P16, P21 and P53.   

Key words: Fibulin-1, vascular smooth muscle cells, senescence, P16, P21, P53

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