Stimulation of rat vascular smooth muscle cell glycosaminoglycan production by angiotensin II

Abstract

Matrix production by smooth muscle cells (SMC) appears to play a major role in the intimal thickening process. Proteoglycans (PG) are the predominant extracellular matrix component of early restenotic lesions. As angiotensin II (A II) has been proposed as a mediator of restenotic process, we hypothesized that A II may directly affect PG synthesis by SMC. SMC were cultured in the presence of [ 35S]sulfate and angiotensin II, and both the secreted and membranebound proteoglycans were analyzed. A II (1 to 100 nM) evoked a dose- and time-dependent increase in both cell- and media-associated PG production, an effect abrogated by the A II receptor antagonist, saralasin. SMC constitutively synthesize small amounts of PG with a molecular mass of 170–250 kDa. After treatment with A II, the abundance of PG is increased, as well as its molecular mass (230–300 kDa). Selective degradation by chondroitinases and heparinase identified chondroitin and dermatan sulfate PG as the predominant form being induced. These results demonstrate that the effect of A II is not general and is specific to certain classes of PGs. In order to further examine the specificity of the A II effect, we compared the synthesis of PG induced by A II with that induced by platelet-derived growth factors AA and BB (PDGF-AA and -BB), insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), and tumor necrosis factor α (TNFoi). This comparison demonstrated that the profile of PG induced by A II is different from the other factors examined. Taken together, these data indicate that A II may not only function as a hypertrophic factor for SMC, but in addition may also be a potent modulator of specific PG synthesis by these same cells, which could significantly contribute to the formation of atherosclerotic and restenotic lesions.