Abstract: AIM: To observe the effects of advanced glycation end products on the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells(VSMCs) and how the course are interfered with metformin.METHODS: Well-conditioned VSMCs were dealed with different concentrations of advanced glycation end products (50,100,200,400 mg/L) in different times (12,24,48,72 h). On the basis of above treatments, different concentrations of metformin (10^-3,10^-4,5×10^-5,10^-5,10^-6 mol/L) were given to interfere VSMCs, combined with the 200 mg/L AGEs on different times (12,24,48,72 h). The proliferation of VSMCs was measured by MTT.RESULTS: 50 mg/L AGEs could promote the proliferation of VSMCs at the time point of 72 h; 200 mg/L AGEs began to play the role of promotion at the time point of 12 h, furthermore, 24 h were the strongest. The effects of 400 mg/L AGEs was similar to those of 200 mg/L AGEs at all the time points. 10^-3 mol/L and 10^-4 mol/L metformin had the strongest effects of inhibition at the time point of 12 h, and this effect continued to 72 h. 10^-6 mol/L metformin had lower inhibition on proliferation and its effective time was from 24 h to 72 h.CONCLUSION: AGEs can promote the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells in a concentration- and time- dependent manner; metformin can inhibit the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells induced by AGEs.

Key words: Metformin, Advanced glycation end products, Cell proliferation