Type I collagen synthesis in cultured aortic smooth muscle cells from spontaneously hypertensive rats and normotensive control, Wistar-Kyoto rats.

An inhibition ELISA was used to quantify the amount of type I collagen synthesized in culture media and cell layers from aortic smooth muscle cells (SMCs) of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive control, Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY). Cultured cells were also observed by electron microscopy. Collagen content in the culture media was strongly increased after 6 days in both cultures. Collagen and protein contents in the medium and cell layer from SHR were significantly higher than those in WKY at day 14. However, cell density in SHR-derived cells was also higher than that of WKY. No significant differences were detected in the rates of collagen content between SHR and WKY on a per cell basis. The main differences between SHR and WKY in collagen and protein levels may be due to the greater number of SHR cells and increased amounts of extracellular matrix components. The assay system outlined here should be useful for studying the control of extracellular-matrix synthesis.