title: Stimulatory effect of lead on the proliferation of cultured vascular smooth-muscle cells.
abstract: The effect of lead nitrate on the DNA synthesis of cultured bovine aortic smooth-muscle cells has been studied. Lead at 0.5-10 microM stimulated the incorporation of [3H]thymidine into the acid-insoluble fraction of the cells in a dose-dependent manner. However, other heavy metals including zinc, copper, manganese and nickel did not show such a stimulatory effect. Stimulation of [3H]thymidine incorporation by basic fibroblast growth factor was additive to that by lead. However, stimulation by either platelet-derived growth factor or acidic fibroblast growth factor was reduced by the metal. The leakage of lactate dehydrogenase into the medium from smooth-muscle cells, a marker of cell death, was not changed by the metal. Calcium ionophore A23187 inhibited [3H]thymidine incorporation in vascular endothelial cells but stimulated it in vascular smooth-muscle cells. These results suggest that lead may stimulate the proliferation of cultured vascular smooth-muscle cells probably via a calcium-dependent pathway; the metal may mimic calcium within the cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Science, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokuriku University, Kanazawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fujiwara
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kaji
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kozuka
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000166:cytology; D002417:Cattle; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D007854:Lead / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D007854:Lead