Tumour necrosis factor-alpha can modulate the phenotype of aortic smooth muscle cells.
In culture, rabbit aortic smooth muscle cells (SMC) from an atheroma differed phenotypically from SMC from normal media (M-SMC) in their growth rate, secretion of SMC-derived growth factor (SDGF), and metabolism of acetylated low density lipoproteins (a-LDL). The factor responsible for this in vivo phenotypic change of SMC was investigated in vitro. After preincubation of M-SMC with 0.1-10 U ml-1 of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) for 1-3 days, the cells grew faster than control cells and secreted a substantial amount of SDGF. The population doubling time and secretion of SDGF were inversely correlated. Moreover, after preincubation with TNF, the SMC metabolized [125I]a-LDL, unlike control M-SMC. These findings show that TNF can modulate the phenotype of SMC and suggest that it is important in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.
Morisaki
N
N
Second Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Chiba University, Japan.
Xu
Q P
QP
Koshikawa
T
T
Saito
Y
Y
Yoshida
S
S
Ueda
S
S
D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000187:drug effects; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000378:metabolism; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D010641:Phenotype; D011817:Rabbits; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology*
D006133:Growth Substances; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D004247:DNA