Does Nitric Oxide Inhibit Smooth Muscle Proliferation?

Abstract

The lipid-soluble analogue 8-bromocyclic GMP did not inhibit thymidine incorporation into rabbit aortic smooth muscle cells initially in the contractile state but tended to inhibit incorporation into passaged cells by approximately 30%. In passaged cells, the nitrovasodilator drug SIN-1 (0.1-1 mM) in the presence of the phosphodiesterase inhibitor isobutylmethylxanthine produced a two- to fourfold increase in cyclic GMP concentration and an approximatively 50% reduction in [ 3 H]thymidine incorporation.