Action of human hyperlipemic sera on the biosynthesis of intercellular matrix macromolecules in aorta organ cultures.

Explants from rabbit aortic media were incubated in MEM medium supplemented with 14C-lysine and with 10 p. 100 hyperlipemic (type IV and V) or normal human serum respectively. The incubated fragments were extracted at increasing ionic strength. The insoluble collagen and elastin were hydrolysed with collagenase and alcoholic potassium hydroxyde respectively. The radioactivity was determined in the extracts and the radioactive labelling profile of proteins was investigated on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in SDS. With the exception of the collagenase extract (polymeric collagen) the incorporation of the radioactivity into insoluble collagen is not altered or increases. These the incubation was carried out in the presence of hyperlipemic serum. Incorporation of the radioactivity into insoluble collagen seems not to be altered. These results show a decreased protein synthesis with a relative increase in the biosynthesis of polymeric insoluble collagen in the aortic media incubated in the presence of hyperlipemic serum.