THE EFFECTS OF ANTIHYPERTENSIVE AGENTS ON ATHEROSCLEROSIS-RELATED PARAMETERS OF HUMAN AORTA INTIMAL CELLS

Four antihypertensive agents - amlodipine, verapamil, propranolol and perindoprilat - were studied in human cell cultures. Antiatherogenic a ctivity was investigated using uninvolved human aortic smooth muscle i ntima cells and atherogenic serum obtained from patients with coronary atherosclerosis. Amlodipine and verapamil significantly inhibited ser um-induced increases in cholesterol content, cell-proliferative activi ty and protein synthesis in the cultured cells. Propranolol increased all three parameters, while perindoprilat had no effects. In addition, amlodipine and verapamil significantly lowered the intracellular chol esterol content of smooth muscle cells derived from atherosclerotic pl aque and inhibited cell proliferation and protein synthesis. Propranol ol increased all of these parameters, while perindoprilat produced no effects. The antiatherogenic and antiatherosclerotic actions of verapa mil and amlodipine were confirmed in an ex vivo model. These studies d emonstrated a beneficial antiatherosclerotic effect of amlodipine that was greater than that of verapamil. Perindoprilat had a neutral effec t on atherosclerotic parameters, while the action of propranolol appea red to be potentially detrimental.