1991 Volume 32 Issue 1 Pages 131-138
We studied the effects of elastase on [3H]thymidine incorporation into aortic smooth muscle cells. When elastase was added to cultured aortic smooth muscle cells, [3H]thymidine incorporation was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner in the presence of fetal bovine serum. Elastase also inhibited this incorporation in cells treated with epidermal growth factor. Epidermal growth factor (50ng/ml) stimulated thymidine incorporation, without elastase, but with the addition of 20units/ml of elastase the incorporation was inhibited 70%. The incorporation of thymidine into cells treated with 50ng/ml epidermal growth factor was also inhibited 50% by a low concentration of elastase (5units/ml). These inhibitory effects on thymidine incorporation were also observed in cells stimulated with platelet-derived growth factor. Platelet-derived growth factor (20units/ml) markedly stimulated thymidine incorporation into cells, and elastase inhibited its activity in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that elastase has the potential to prevent the development of atherosclerosis by inhibiting smooth muscle proliferation.
