Differential expression and activity of p34cdc2 in cultured aortic adventitial fibroblasts derived from spontaneously hypertensive and Wistar-Kyoto rats.

OBJECTIVE

The present investigation was undertaken to determine whether p34cdc2, a cell-cycle regulatory kinase, is involved in the manifestation of the altered proliferation evident in fibroblasts isolated from spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR).

DESIGN

Experiments were performed on quiescent aortic adventitial fibroblasts stimulated to re-enter the cell cycle in order to examine the timing of cell cycle-related events.

METHODS

The cell-cycle phase was determined by flow cytometry and was related to the cellular content and kinase activity of p34cdc2.

RESULTS

SHR fibroblasts displayed a heightened basal level of p34cdc2 at quiescence relative to Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rat cells. Both SHR and WKY fibroblasts showed a cell cycle-dependent increase in p34cdc2 content, beginning in S phase. However, the SHR adventitial fibroblasts exited G0-G1 several hours earlier than the WKY fibroblasts as indicated by the time of initiation of DNA synthesis and increase in activity of p34cdc2.

CONCLUSIONS

SHR aortic adventitial fibroblasts appear to have a heightened proliferative capacity relative to WKY fibroblasts, which is evident in a quicker exit from G0 and faster transition to DNA synthesis, followed by the earlier activation of p34cdc2.