Angiotensin-induced growth related metabolism is activated in cultured smooth muscle cells from spontaneously hypertensive rats and Wistar-Kyoto rats.

ABSTRACT

Smooth muscle cells from spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) proliferate in culture faster than those isolated from sex- and age-matched Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) animals. There was no difference in the kinetics of S6 kinase activation in the two cultures, but later metabolic events associated with proliferation were stimulated earlier in SHR cells than in WKY, eg, activation of ornithine decarboxylase. Both cell types elaborated an extensive extra-cellular matrix in culture composed of a different blend of connective tissue macromolecules. Matrix material from SHR cells was more stimulatory to growth of WKY cultures than their own matrices. Angiotensin stimulated the growth and synthesis of extra-cellular matrix material in SHR more than in WKY derived vascular smooth muscle cell cultures.