Regulatory effect of thromboxane A2 on proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells from rats

We investigated the regulatory effects of the vasoconstrictor thromboxane A2 on the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) from Wistar-Kyoto rats using 9,11-epithio-11,12-methano-thromboxane A2 (STA2), a stable analogue of thromboxane A2. STA2 dose dependently increased incorporation of [3H]thymidine into DNA in randomly cycling VSMC and significantly shortened the doubling time. Cell cycle analysis revealed that the increased cell cycle progression was primarily due to a rapid transition from the DNA synthetic (S) to the G2/mitotic (M) phase. Moreover, STA2 enhanced protein synthesis in VSMC during the G2/M phase, whereas the protein synthesis was unaffected in the G0/G1 period. In fact, STA2 prompted the cells in G2/M phase to synthesize actin, a major cytoskeleton protein. Conversely, inhibition of protein synthesis by puromycin retarded the transition from S to G2/M. In addition, depolymerization of the actin molecules by cytochalasin D offset the quick progression to the G2/M phase by STA2. These data indicate that thromboxane A2 stimulates the cell cycle progression in VSMC primarily through a rapid transition from S to G2/M. This enhanced progression is attributable partly to a rapid buildup of the cytoskeleton proteins during the G2/M period.