Metabolism of cholesterol and phospholipids in cultured human vascular smooth muscle cells: differences between artery and vein-derived cells and the effect of oxygen partial pressure

Human smooth muscle (SM) cells derived from vena saphena magna, aorta abdominalis and arteria mamaria were grown in culture under 40 or 145 mmHg oxygen partial pressure (pO2) and their lipid metabolism studied. Esterification of the cellular 3H]cholesterol was higher by 2.5-fold in artery derived than in vein-derived cells and was slightly higher in cultures exposed to 145 mmHg than to 40 mmHg pO2. Cholesterol efflux in the presence of high density lipoprotein (HDL) in the incubation medium was higher in artery-derived than vein-derived cells. Apolipoprotein (apo) AI also supported cholesterol efflux to a higher extent in artery than in vein-derived cells. Cholesterol efflux in the presence of apo AI was accompanied by a decrease of 50% in cellular 3H]cholesteryl ester in both cell types. SM cultures exposed to 3H]choline incorporated about 90% of the radioactivity to phosphatidylcholine (PC) and 10% to sphingomyelin (SPM). During 5 days exposure to 3H]choline, 10 to 15% and 20 to 30% of the newly synthesized PC and SPM, respectively, were released by vein-derived cells into the incubation medium. The relative amount of SPM of the total radioactive phospholipids released by vein-derived cultures was significantly higher in cultures growing under 40 mmHg than 145 mmHg pO2 reaching a value of up to 33% of the radioactive phospholipids in the incubation medium. HDL was shown to serve as an acceptor for phospholipids released by both vein and artery-derived SM cells, while free apo AI supported phospholipid efflux in artery but not in vein-derived SM cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)