Ka. Earle et al., AMINO-ACID DEPLETION MODULATES VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL GROWTH-FACTOR PRODUCTION DURING THE LIFE-SPAN OF HUMAN VASCULAR SMOOTH-MUSCLE CELLS, Journal of cellular physiology, 176(2), 1998, pp. 359-364
The role of nutrient supply in the replicative capacity and secretory
phenotype of cultured human diploid cells is unclear. We examined the
relationship between amino acid privation, the secretion of vascular e
ndothelial growth factor (VEGF) and growth phenotype of vascular smoot
h muscle cells (VSMC), and endothelial cells. Cultures of VSMCs, but n
ot endothelial cells, were growth inhibited by exposure to medium that
was 75% deficient in leucine, methionine, arginine, and cysteine over
two passages. Exposed VSMC cultures exhibited an increased vulnerabil
ity to apoptosis. The maximal cumulative population doubling of the ex
posed cells was reduced significantly compared with the control cells
(25.7 +/- 2.0 doublings vs. 27.9 +/- 2.1 doublings; P<0.03). Constitut
ive VEGF production first became evident in the later passages of the
exposed and nonexposed cell cultures. However, production of VEGF was
17-fold greater in the exposed cultures at the tenth passage (P < 0.00
1). The replicative capacity and constitutive production of VEGF in VS
MCs in culture may be programmed by transient privation of amino acids
. These observations are relevant to new concepts concerning the patho
genesis of Vascular disease. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.