Growth and phenotypic characterization of porcine coronary artery smooth muscle cells

Summary Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation significantly contributes to atherosclerotic plaque formation and limits the success rate of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. We derived a population of porcine coronary artery SMCs to characterize VSMC proliferation and phenotype in preparation to study the molecular actions of VSMC mitogens and antiproliferative agents. Growth assays were designed to minimize the estrogen content in the culture medium, since this steroid hormone significantly influences VSMC growth and the expression of VSMC mitogens and their receptors. Culture conditions were identified such that this criterion was achieved while maintaining a significant VSMC growth rate. Cells cultured in serum-free medium, regardless of growth factor supplements, did not remain adherent to a plastic culture substrate, nor did they proliferate. Dextran-coated charcoal (DCC)-treated sera, including fetal bovine, calf, and porcine, supported VSMC adhesion, but not growth. Whole fetal bovine serum (FBS) produced the best proliferative response. A type-I collagen-coated culture surface significantly enhanced VSMC growth, but only in culture medium containing non-DCC-treated FBS. Flow cytometry analyses confirmed the mitogenic effects of this substrate. The VSMCs exhibited a morphological change on type-I collagen, but this was not accompanied by a change in VSMC phenotype. Our data indicate that culture of these porcine coronary artery SMCs in 2.5% FBS plus 10 ng platelet-derived growth factor-BB per ml in phenol red-free medium on type-I collagen may be the optimal conditions for studying the molecular aspects of VSMC mitogens and antiproliferative agents.     

Selective transport of adenosine into porcine coronary smooth muscle

Adenosine (ADO), an endogenous regulator of coronary vascular tone, enhances vasorelaxation in the presence of nucleoside transport inhibitors such as dipyridamole. We tested the hypothesis that coronary smooth muscle (CSM) contains a high-affinity transporter for ADO. ADO-mediated relaxation of isolated large and small porcine coronary artery rings was enhanced 12-fold and 3.4-fold, respectively, by the transport inhibitor, S-(4-nitrobenzyl)-6-thioinosine (NBTI). Enhanced relaxation was independent of endothelium and was selective for ADO over synthetic analogs. Uptake of [(3)H]ADO into freshly dissociated CSM cells or endothelium-denuded rings was linear and concentration dependent. Kinetic analysis yielded a maximum uptake (V(max)) of 67 +/- 7.0 pmol. mg protein(-1). min(-1) and a Michaelis constant (K(m)) of 10. 5 +/- 5.8 microM in isolated cells and a V(max) of 5.1 +/- 0.5 pmol. min(-1). mg wet wt(-1) and a K(m) of 17.6 +/- 2.6 microM in intact rings. NBTI inhibited transport into small arteries (IC(50) = 42 nM) and cells. Analyses of extracellular space and diffusion kinetics using [(3)H]sucrose indicate the V(max) and K(m) for ADO transport are sufficient to clear a significant amount of extracellular adenosine. These data indicate CSM possess a high-affinity nucleoside transporter and that the activity of this transporter is sufficient to modulate ADO sensitivity of large and small coronary arteries.     

猪冠状动脉平滑肌细胞的自发瞬时外向电流的特性

自发瞬时外向电流（spontaneous transient outward currents,STOCs）在小动脉的肌源性调节中起着非常重要的作用。本文应用穿孔膜片钳技术记录了猪冠状动脉平滑肌细胞上的STOCs,研究了其基本特性以及调节。结果显示：STOCs有明显的电压依赖性和钙依赖性,其频率和幅度具有变异性。STOCs可以随机叠加在阶跃刺激方案和斜坡刺激方案引出的全细胞钾电流上。STOCs可被大电导钙激活钾（large-conductance Ca^2＋-activated potassium,BKCa）通道的特异性阻断剂ChTX、螯合胞外钙离子和50μmol／L ryanodine完全抑制。钙离子载体A23187可以明显增加STOCs的幅度和频率;而L型钙通道阻断剂verapamil和CdCl2对STOCs的影响很小。咖啡因使STOCs瞬时爆发性增加,然后抑制。钠离子载体可明显增加STOCs的频率;钠钙交换体选择性抑制剂KB．R7943可明显抑制STOCs。由此可以认为STOCs是BKCa通道介导的。STOCs的产生和激活依赖于经钠钙交换的钙内流和经肌浆网ryanodine受体介导的钙释放,钠钙交换可能决定钙库重载,而细胞膜下肌浆网的胞内钙释放（钙火花）所致的局部钙浓度瞬时增加激活与其相邻的BKCa通道,产生STOCs。     

Isolation and characterization of coronary endothelial and smooth muscle cells from A1 adenosine receptor-knockout mice

Mice have been used widely in in vivo and in vitro cardiovascular research. The availability of knockout mice provides further clues to the physiological significance of specific receptor subtypes. Adenosine A(1) receptor (A(1)AR)-knockout (A(1)KO) mice and their wild-type (A(1)WT) controls were employed in this investigation. The heart and aortic arch were carefully removed and retroinfused with enzyme solution (1 mg/ml collagenase type I, 0.5 mg/ml soybean trypsin inhibitor, 3% BSA, and 2% antibiotics) through the aortic arch. The efflux was collected at 30-, 60-, and 90-min intervals. The cells were centrifuged, and the pellets were mixed with medium [medium 199-F-12 medium with 10% FBS and 2% antibiotics (for endothelial cells) and advanced DMEM with 10% FBS, 10% mouse serum, 2% GlutaMax, and 2% antibiotics (for smooth muscle cells)] and plated. Endothelial cells were characterized by a cobblestone appearance and positive staining with acetylated LDL labeled with 1,1'-dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate. Smooth muscle cells were characterized by positive staining of smooth muscle alpha-actin and smooth muscle myosin heavy chain. Homogeneity of the smooth muscle cells was approximately 91%. Western blot analysis showed expression of smoothelin in the cells from passages 3, 7, and 11 in A(1)WT and A(1)KO mice. Furthermore, the A(1)AR was characterized by Western blot analysis using an A(1)AR-specific antibody. To our knowledge, this is the first isolation and successful characterization of smooth muscle cells from the mouse coronary system.     

Significance of adenosine metabolism of coronary smooth muscle cells

A detailed understanding of adenosine metabolism of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) is highly desirable to critically evaluate possible autocrine effects of adenosine in this cell species. Therefore, this study quantified intra- and extracellular adenosine flux rates, the transmembrane concentration gradient, and the adenosine surface concentration in porcine VSMC and, for comparison, aortic endothelial cells (PAEC). Cell-covered microcarrier beads packed in a chromatography column were superfused with a HEPES buffer. With the use of specific inhibitors of adenosine kinase (iodotubericidine, 10 microM), adenosine deaminase [erythro-9-(2-hydroxy-3-nonyl)-adenine, 5 microM], ecto-5'-nucleotidase (alpha,beta-methylene-adenosine 5'-diphosphate, 50 microM), and adenosine membrane transport (n-nitrobenzylthioinosine, 1 microM), total production rates of 12.3 +/- 2.7 and 7.5 +/- 1.3 pmol x min(-1) x microl cell volume(-1) were obtained for VSMC and PAEC, respectively. Despite prevailing intracellular adenosine production (76 and 70% of total production, respectively), transmembrane concentration gradients under control conditions were directed toward the cytosol as a result of rapid intracellular adenosine rephosphorylation and continuous extracellular hydrolysis from 5'-AMP. Surface concentrations were approximately 18 nM in VSMC and PAEC under control conditions and increased to approximately 60 nM during partial inhibition of adenosine metabolism. Simultaneously, the transmembrane adenosine concentration gradient was reversed. We conclude that adenosine flux rates in VSMC and PAEC are quantitatively similar and that VSMC may influence the interstitial adenosine concentration under basal steady-state conditions.     

三磷酸肌醇对猪冠状动脉平滑肌细胞大电导钙激活钾通道的作用

应用膜片钳单通道电流记录技术,研究三磷酸肌醇(trisphosphateinositol,IP3)对猪冠状动脉平滑肌细胞大电导钙激活钾通道(large-conductanceCa2+-activatedpotassiumchannels,BKchannels)的作用。结果显示:在内面向外式(inside-out)膜片下,IP3(10~50μmol/L)可以浓度依赖性地增加通道的开放概率,而对电流幅值无明显影响,开放概率的增加是通过明显缩短平均关闭时间实现的(n=11,P<0.01);洗去药物后通道活性可以恢复到对照水平;IP3对通道的激活作用不随时间而衰减;IP3的降解产物对通道没有明显的激活作用。结果表明:在inside-out膜片下,IP3能够激活猪冠状动脉平滑肌细胞BK通道。     

Signal transduction mechanism via adenosine A1 receptor in the cat esophageal smooth muscle cells

We investigated what adenosine receptor type exists and the signaling pathways on the contraction of circular muscle cells isolated by enzymatic digestion from the cat esophagus. Adenosine or the selective A1 receptor agonist R-PIA causes a concentration-dependent contraction. After pretreatment with A1 receptor antagonist, DPCPX, adenosine-mediated contraction was abolished. Adenosine-induced contraction was significantly increased when A1 receptors were preserved by pretreatment with DPCPX followed by inactivation of all unprotected receptors with N-ethylmaleimide. Adenosine- or R-PIA-induced contraction was significantly augmented in the preserved cells and the increase was abolished in the presence of the A1 receptor antagonist DPCPX. PTX abolished contraction induced by adenosine or R-PIA, implying that contraction activated by A1 receptor was coupled to a pertussis toxin (PTX)-sensitive G(i) protein. After permeabilization, contraction was inhibited by G(i2), but not by G(i1) and G(i3), antibodies. These data suggest that adenosine-induced contraction of esophagus depends on PTX-sensitive G(i2.) Adenosine- or R-PIA-induced contraction of esophageal smooth muscle cells was not affected by the phospholipase D (PLD) inhibitor rho-chloromercuribenzoic acid (rhoCMB), phospholipase A(2) (PLA(2)) inhibitor DEDA or PKC antagonist chelerythrine, but was significantly abolished by phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitor, neomycin. PLC-beta3 antibody inhibited R-PIA-induced contraction. R-PIA-induced contraction of esophageal muscle cells was inhibited by IP(3) receptor antagonist heparin, which suggests that the contraction of esophageal smooth muscle cells is dependent on phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase (PI-PLC) and IP(3). In conclusion, adenosine- and R-PIA-induced contraction in cat esophageal smooth muscle cell was mediated by A1 receptor. A1 receptor is coupled to PTX-sensitive G protein G(i2), which results in the activation of PI-PLC-beta3. PI hydrolysis by PI-PLC forms IP(3), which binds to IP(3) receptor on endoplasmic reticulum, resulting in the release of intracellular Ca(2+).     

Angiotensin II blocks ATP-sensitive K+ channels in porcine coronary artery smooth muscle cells.

ATP-sensitive K+ channels with small conductance (30 pS in symmetrical K(+)-rich solutions) in porcine coronary artery smooth muscle cells were highly active at physiological concentrations of Ca2+ (greater than 10(-4) M) even in the presence of physiological ATP levels, suggesting that these channels contribute to the generation of the resting membrane potential in vascular smooth muscle cells and their modulation is important in controlling vasomotor tone. Angiotensin II, applied from outside the membrane, blocked these channels in a concentration-dependent manner. This would be expected to cause depolarization and result in vasoconstriction.     

An ATP, calcium and voltage sensitive potassium channel in porcine coronary artery smooth muscle cells

There is increasing interest in the roles played by potassium channels of smooth muscle in protecting against ischemic and anoxic insults. Hence, potassium-selective channels were studied in freshly dispersed porcine coronary artery smooth muscle cells using the inside-out variant of the patch-clamp technique. The most abundant potassium channel had a conductance of 148 pS in a 5.4/140 mM K+ gradient, at 0 mV, and was regulated by cytoplasmic ATP (0.05-3.0 mM), cytoplasmic Ca2+ (0.1-10 microM) and voltage. ATP and AMP-PNP (0.5 mM) reduced the probability of channel opening (Po) by 87 and 92%, respectively. This inhibition was partially reversed by the addition of 0.5 mM ADP. ADP on its own (2 mM) reduced Po by 46%. It appears, therefore, that this channel shares properties with both the ATP-sensitive and the calcium-regulated potassium channels, raising the possibility that it plays a central role in the regulation of coronary blood flow.     

Role of lipoprotein-associated lysophospholipids in migratory activity of coronary artery smooth muscle cells

The migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) is a hallmark of the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and restenosis after angioplasty. Plasma low-density lipoprotein (LDL), but not high-density lipoprotein (HDL), induced the migration of human coronary artery SMCs (CASMCs). Among bioactive lipids postulated to be present in LDL, lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) appreciably mimicked the LDL action. In fact, the LDL-induced migration was markedly inhibited by pertussis toxin, an LPA receptor antagonist Ki-16425, and a small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeted for LPA(1) receptors. Moreover, LDL contains a higher amount of LPA than HDL does. HDL markedly inhibited LPA- and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-induced migration, and sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P), the content of which is about fourfold higher in HDL than in LDL, mimicked the HDL action. The inhibitory actions of HDL and S1P were suppressed by S1P(2) receptor-specific siRNA. On the other hand, the degradation of the LPA component of LDL by monoglyceride lipase or the antagonism of LPA receptors by Ki-16425 allowed LDL to inhibit the PDGF-induced migration. The inhibitory effect of LDL was again suppressed by S1P(2) receptor-specific siRNA. In conclusion, LPA/LPA(1) receptors and S1P/S1P(2) receptors mediate the stimulatory and inhibitory migration response to LDL and HDL, respectively. The balance of not only the content of LPA and S1P in lipoproteins but also the signaling activity between LPA(1) and S1P(2) receptors in the cells may be critical in determining whether the lipoprotein is a positive or negative regulator of CASMC migration.     

Functional characterization of cysteinyl leukotriene CysLT(2) receptor on human coronary artery smooth muscle cells

Cysteinyl leukotrienes (LTC(4), LTD(4), and LTE(4)) are a class of biologically active lipids that exert potent effects on the heart. To assess their roles, we investigated the distribution of their receptors, CysLT(1) and CysLT(2), in the cardiovascular system. CysLT(2) mRNA was detected at high levels in the human atrium and ventricle and at intermediate levels in the coronary artery, whereas CysLT(1) mRNA was barely detected. Further analysis by in situ hybridization revealed that CysLT(2) mRNA was expressed in myocytes, fibroblasts, and vascular smooth muscle cells, but not in endothelial cells. When human coronary smooth muscle cells were stimulated with LTC(4), the intracellular calcium concentration increased in a dose-dependent manner, and this action was partially inhibited by nicardipine. Additionally, these cells showed chemotactic responses to LTC(4). This is the first report on the physiological role of CysLT(2), and the findings suggest that CysLT(2) has biological significance in the cardiovascular system.     

cGMP对原代培养猪冠状动脉平滑肌细胞钙激活钾通道的作用

３′,５′－环－磷酸鸟苷（ｃＧＭＰ）具有激活血管平滑肌细胞膜上钙激活钾通道（ＫＣａ通道）的作用,从而引起血管平滑肌细胞的舒张。但ｃＧＭＰ激活ＫＣａ物机制存在争论。本工作应用膜片箝技术以原代培养猪冠状动脉平滑肌细胞为对象研究了ｃＧＭＰ影响ＫＣａ通道的机制。实验结果显示：（１）在ｃｅｌｌ－ａｔｔａｃｈｅｄ膜片方式下,当溶液内游离Ｃａ＾２＋浓度为１０＾－７ｍｏｌ／Ｌ,膜电位为＋７０ｍＶ时,不同浓度的ｃＧ     

Inhibitor-1 phosphatase activity in vascular smooth muscle

The histone-H1 and polylysine stimulated "latent" phosphorylase phosphatase, characterized by a molecular weight of 260,000 in gel filtration and 130,000 in sucrose density gradient centrifugation has been identified as a major inhibitor-1 phosphatase in vascular smooth muscle. Its substrate: protein phosphatase inhibitor-1, was also shown to be present in the same tissue. Following treatment with beta-mercaptoethanol the enzyme dissociates into a lower molecular weight (38,000) form with a higher specific activity.