Cell Proliferation in Human Coronary Arteries

• Published in: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS 1990-06, Vol.87 (12), p.4600-4604
• Main Authors: Gordon, D., Reidy, M. A., Benditt, E. P., Schwartz, S. M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 550601 - Medicine- Unsealed Radionuclides in Diagnostics; ANIMAL CELLS; ANIMALS; Antibodies; ARTERIES; ARTERIOSCLEROSIS; Arteriosclerosis - pathology; AUTORADIOGRAPHY; AZINES; BIOCHEMISTRY; Biological and medical sciences; BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS; BLOOD; BLOOD CELLS; BLOOD VESSELS; BODY; BODY FLUIDS; Cardiomyopathies - pathology; CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES; CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM; CELL CYCLE; Cell cycle, cell proliferation; Cell Division; Cell growth; Cell physiology; CELL PROLIFERATION; Cells; Cellular immunity; CHEMISTRY; CONNECTIVE TISSUE CELLS; CORONARIES; Coronary Disease - pathology; Coronary Vessels - pathology; CYTOCHEMISTRY; DIGESTIVE SYSTEM; DISEASES; DNA - biosynthesis; Epithelial cells; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT; HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS; Humans; HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS; Immunocytochemistry; Immunohistochemistry; INTESTINES; LEUKOCYTES; MACROPHAGES; MAMMALS; MAN; MATERIALS; Mitosis; Molecular and cellular biology; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular - pathology; MUSCLES; Nuclear Proteins - analysis; NUCLEOSIDES; NUCLEOTIDES; ORGANIC COMPOUNDS; ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS; ORGANS; PATHOGENESIS; PHAGOCYTES; PRIMATES; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; PYRIMIDINES; RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE; RATS; Rats, Inbred Strains; RIBOSIDES; RODENTS; SMALL INTESTINE; Smooth muscle; SOMATIC CELLS; THYMIDINE; Thymidine - metabolism; Tritium; TRITIUM COMPOUNDS; VASCULAR DISEASES; VERTEBRATES
• ISSN: 0027-8424; 1091-6490
• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.87.12.4600

Despite the lack of direct evidence for cell multiplication, proliferation of smooth muscle cells in human atherosclerotic lesions has been assumed to play a central role in ontogeny of the plaque. We used antibodies to cell cycle-related proteins on tissue sections of human arteries and coronary atherosclerotic plaques. Specific cell types were identified by immunochemical reagents for smooth muscle, monocyte-macrophages, and other blood cells. Low rates of smooth muscle cell proliferation were observed. Macrophages were also observed with rates of proliferation comparable to that of the smooth muscle. Additional replicating cells could not be defined as belonging to specific cell types with the reagents used in this study. These findings imply that smooth muscle replication in advanced plaques is indolent and raise the possibility of a role for proliferating leukocytes.