title: Monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1) is a mitogen for cultured rat vascular smooth muscle cells.
abstract: The involvement of inflammatory mechanisms in the progression of atherosclerosis has recently been suggested. Monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1) is a soluble protein which is implicated in acute and chronic inflammatory processes, including atherosclerosis. We evaluated the effect of human recombinant MCP-1 on the in vitro proliferation of rat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Incubation of VSMCs with MCP-1 (50-200 ng/ml) in the presence of 0.5% FCS significantly increased cell proliferation, [3H]-thymidine incorporation and the proliferative S fraction, measured by flow cytometry, compared to control cells. The proliferative effect of MCP-1 was specific, as shown by inhibition with a rabbit polyclonal serum to MCP-1. Moreover, the mitogenic effect of MCP-1 was significantly inhibited by downregulation of protein kinase C (PKC) activity and by incubation with H-7, a protein kinase inhibitor, suggesting the involvement of the PKC system. Verapamil, a Ca2+ channel blocker, also reduced the stimulatory effect of MCP-1 on cell proliferation. This study demonstrates that MCP-1 does not merely have a chemotactic activity, but also a mitogenic effect on cultured rat VSMCs.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Medicina Interna, Facolta di Medicina e Chirurgia, Universita di Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Porreca
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Di Febbo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reale
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Castellani
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Baccante
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Barbacane
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Conti
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cuccurullo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Poggi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008934:Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D008934:Mitogens; D011994:Recombinant Proteins