EFFECTS OF HYPOXIC ENDOTHELIAL-CELL CONDITIONED MEDIUM ON PROLIFERATION AND COLLAGEN-SYNTHESIS OF SMOOTH-MUSCLE CELLS AND INHIBITORY EFFECTS OF RADIX SALVIAE MILTIORRHIZAE

The effects of hypoxic endothelial cell conditioned medium (HECCM) on proliferation and collagen synthesis of cultured porcine pulmonary art erial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) were studied by H-3-thymidine (H-3- TdR) and H-3-proline incorporations, image analysis for determination of DNA content and colorimetric assay using MTT, and the inhibitory ef fects of radix salviae miltiorrhizae (RSM) on them were also investiga ted, The results showed that HECCM could induce enhancement of the enz ymatic activity of mitochondria, increase of the nucleic DNA content a nd increases of the H-3-TdR and H-3-proline incorporations in PASMCs. The H-3-proline incorporation in PASMCs cultured in HECCM was 1.83 tim es as much as that cultured in normoxic endothelial cell conditioned m edium (NECCM). Compared with the control, Chinese herb medicine RSM co uld inhibit the proliferation of PASMCs cultured in HECCM and decrease the H-3-proline incorporation in PASMCs cultured in both HECCM and NE CCM (P < 0.001). However, RSM had no effects on the nucleic DNA conten t and H-3-TdR incorporation into DNA of PASMCs cultured in NECCM, It s uggests that hypoxia may stimulate the endothelia to synthesize and se crete some cytokines which can stimulate the proliferation and the syn thesis of collagen of PASMCs and RSM can inhibit this process.