Coculture of human endothelium and smooth muscle cells: functional heterogeneity of endothelial cells from zones with different susceptibility to atherosclerosis

• Published in: T͡S︡itologii͡a Vol. 41; no. 8; p. 716
• Main Authors: Romanov, Iu A, Kabaeva, N V
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Russian
• Published: Russia (Federation) 1999
• Subjects: Arteriosclerosis - pathology; Cell Communication; Cell Division; Coculture Techniques; DNA Replication; Endothelium, Vascular - pathology; Humans; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular - pathology
• ISSN: 0041-3771

Using co-culture technique and 3H-thymidine radioautography we have studied effects of human aortic endothelial cells (EC), isolated separately from zones of low (LP) and high (HP) probability of atherosclerosis of grossly normal and atherosclerotic aortas, on 3H-thymidine incorporation by human intimal smooth muscle cells (SMCs). It was found that EC activity depended on a zone of probability, from which the cells were isolated, and on the degree of atherosclerotic lesion. The first-passage ECs from grossly normal LP zones inhibited 3H-thymidine incorporation, compared to control, incubated without Ecs, SMCs (63.5 +/- 27.5%). Cells from HP zones of the same vessels were less active or stimulated SMC proliferation (99.4 +/- 42.9%). EC cultures obtained from both LP and HP zones of atherosclerotic vessels had, as a rule, no effect or increased 3H-thymidine incorporation by SMCs (100.3 +/- 19.8 and 124.1 +/- 20.1%). In contrast to morphologically heterogeneous primary and first-passage cultures obtained from high seeding density, EC monolayers obtained with a split 1:10 were composed predominantly of small mononuclear cells. These cultures effectively inhibited SMC DNA synthesis independently of a zone of probability and a degree of atherosclerotic lesion of aorta (60.4 +/- 10.0 and 51.5 +/- 12.7%). The obtained data suggest that EC morphological heterogeneity is accompanied by functional changes of cells and may be involved in atherosclerotic plaque formation.