Effects of Co-culture with Vascular Endothelial Cells on the Renin-Like Enzyme Production in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells

Abstract

Cultured human vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) produced an immunologically specific renin-like enzyme. The production of the renin-like enzyme was increased by 1 mM N6-O2'-dibutyryladenosine 3',5' cyclic monophosphoric acid sodium salt (db-cAMP). When co-cultured with human vascular endothelial cells (EC) and human skin fibroblast (FB), the basal production of the renin-like enzyme was increased. And the extent of the increase by db-cAMP was amplified by co-culture with EC, but not by the co-culture with FB.