Increased proliferation of explanted vascular smooth muscle cells: a marker presaging atherogenesis.

The JCR:LA-cp homozygous cp/cp corpulent rat is genetically predisposed to develop atherosclerosis evident after 9 and 18 months of age in males and females and to manifest metabolic derangements resembling those seen in type II diabetes in humans (hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance, hyperglycemia and hypertriglyceridemia). The present study was undertaken to determine whether vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) explanted from vessels destined to become atherosclerotic later in life exhibit intrinsic properties ex vivo that presage atherogenesis to provide a means for evaluating promptly intervention designed to modify it. SMCs were cultured from aortic explants of JCR:LA-cp corpulent (cp/cp) and lean control (+/+) rats of 4, 5, 6, and 9 months of age. Compared with SMCs from controls, SMCs from cp/cp rats exhibited increased proliferation, higher saturation density, increased augmentation of proliferation in response to selected mitogens and greater adherence to extracellular matrix proteins. The increased proliferative activity ex vivo anteceded by several months the development of atherosclerotic lesions in vivo. Thus, it is a promising marker in assessments of the efficacy of interventions designed to retard or prevent atherosclerosis.