Hypertensive Serum Enhances Human Vascular Cell Growth and Modulates Endothelial Angiotensin II and Endothelin in Culture

We studied the influence of hypertensive (HT) serum on human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) and on human umbilical artery smooth muscle cell (HUASMC) proliferation. We also tested the possible influence of the HT serum on vasoconstrictor substances released by HUVECs.Pools of HT and normotensive (NT) sera were collected and used to supplement cell culture medium. Both HUVECs and HUASMCs were conditioned with culture media supplemented with either HT or NT sera. After conditioning, both types of cells were tested for proliferative capacity. Under the same experimental conditions the HUVEC conditioned medium was assayed for angiotensin II (AII) and endothelin 1 (ET,). All and ET, were also assayed after acute exposure to HT serum of HUVEC preconditioned with NT serum.Our results showed that HUVEC and HUASMC conditioned with HT serum substantially enhanced cell proliferation. Preconfluent HUVECs conditioned with HT serum showed higher levels of AZZ and lower levels of ET1 compared with the controls ...