A NOVEL AORTIC SMOOTH-MUSCLE CELL-LINE OBTAINED FROM P53 KNOCK OUT MICE EXPRESSES SEVERAL DIFFERENTIATION CHARACTERISTICS

Here we report that; we could obtain a highly differentiated smooth mu scle cell line by screening tile expression of a-smooth muscle actin f rom p53 knock out mice aorta. This cell revealed extended bipolar shap e and expressed h-caldesmon and calponin as well as a-smooth muscle ac tin as protein markers of differentiated smooth muscle. Further intrac ellular calcium increase was induced by application of noradrenaline i n a dose dependent manner and calcium oscillation was also observed in a higher dose (100 mu M). Appropriate application of 5-azacytidine en hanced these tendencies and induced slow contraction by endothelin-l a nd phenylephrine. (C) 1997 Academic Press.