TRANSFORMING GROWTH-FACTOR-BETA DECREASES THE RATE OF PROLIFERATION OF RAT VASCULAR SMOOTH-MUSCLE CELLS BY EXTENDING THE G(2) PHASE OF THE CELL-CYCLE AND DELAYS THE RISE IN CYCLIC-AMP BEFORE ENTRY INTO M-PHASE

Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) decreased the rate of p roliferation of rat aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) stimul ated with serum showing a maximal effect at > 5 ng/ml (200 pM). Howeve r, it did not reduce the proportion of cells which passed through S ph ase (> 90 %) and entry into S phase was delayed by less than 3 h. The proportion of cells passing through hi phase (> 90 %) was also unaffec ted, but entry into mitosis was delayed by approx. 24 h. This increase in cell cycle time was therefore due mainly to an increase in the G(2 ) to mitotic metaphase period. Addition of TGF-beta 1 late in G(1) or late in S phase failed to delay the onset of mitosis, but the presence of TGF-beta 1 between 0 and 12 h after the addition of serum to quies cent cells was sufficient to cause the maximal delay in mitosis of app rox. 24 h. The role of cyclic AMP in the mechanism of the TGF-beta 1 e ffects on the cell cycle was examined. Entry into mitosis was preceded by a transient 2-fold increase in cyclic AMP concentration and TGF-be ta 1 delayed both this increase in cyclic AMP and entry into mitosis t o the same extent. Addition of forskolin or 8-(4-chlorophenylthio)-cyc lic AMP to cells 30 h after stimulation with serum completely reversed the increase in duration of G(2) in the presence of TGF-beta 1, sugge sting that the rise in cyclic AMP levels which precedes mitosis might trigger entry of the VSMCs into M phase. Addition of forskolin late in S phase (26 h after stimulation with serum) advanced the entry of the cells into M phase and they divided prematurely. This effect was unaf fected by the addition of cycloheximide with the forskolin; however, t he effect of forskolin on cell division was completely inhibited when cycloheximide was added late in G(1). TGF-beta 1 prevented the loss of smooth-muscle-specific myosin heavy chain (SM-MHC), which occurs in p rimary VSMC cultures in the presence or absence of serum, and the cell s proliferated while maintaining a differentiated phenotype. However, TGF-beta 1 did not cause re-differentiation of subcultured VSMCs which contained very low amounts of SM-MHC and the effect of TGF-beta 1 in extending the G(2) phase of the cell cycle is exerted independently of its effect on differentiation.