title: Variability in the proliferative responsiveness of cultured human vascular smooth muscle cells to alpha-thrombin.
abstract: alpha-Thrombin, a key enzyme of the coagulation cascade, is also a potent mitogen for many cell types. In the present study, the responsiveness to alpha-thrombin of cultured human vascular smooth muscle cells (HVSMC) derived from either vein or normal and atherosclerotic arteries was investigated. All HVSMC populations examined responded mitogenically to alpha-thrombin. However, the extent of this response varied between different cell populations. No significant differences were observed between HVSMC derived from vein versus artery or atherosclerotic versus normal tissues. The responsiveness of a specific HVSMC culture to alpha-thrombin was not affected by cell density and remained constant over several passages. Unlike platelet-derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB), alpha-thrombin did not exhibit any significant chemotactic effects on HVSMC or induce their anchorage independent growth in semi-solid medium. The hypothesis that the observed variability in HVSMC responsiveness to alpha-thrombin is due to the heterogeneity of cultured HVSMC is raised and discussed.
authors.affiliation: Thrombosis Research Institute, Chelsea, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kanthou
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kanse
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Newman
authors.forename: V V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Kakkar
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Benzakour
mesh_terms: D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D002455:Cell Division; D002465:Cell Movement; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008934:Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D013917:Thrombin / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D008934:Mitogens; D004247:DNA; D013917:Thrombin