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Updated: Jun 28, 2026

Isolation of Primary Patient-specific Aortic Smooth Muscle Cells and Semiquantitative Real-time Contraction Measurements In Vitro
Published on: February 15, 2022
Cannabinoid CB1 receptor inhibition decreases vascular smooth muscle migration and proliferation
Mohanraj Rajesh1, Partha Mukhopadhyay, György Haskó
1Laboratory of Physiological Studies, NIAAA, National Institutes of Health, Section on Oxidative Stress and Tissue Injury, 5625 Fishers Lane, MSC-9413, Bethesda, MD 20892-9413, USA.
Abstract:
Vascular smooth muscle proliferation and migration triggered by inflammatory stimuli and chemoattractants such as platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) are key events in the development and progression of atherosclerosis and restenosis. Cannabinoids may modulate cell proliferation and migration in various cell types through cannabinoid receptors. Here we investigated the effects of CB(1) receptor antagonist rimonabant (SR141716A), which has recently been shown to have anti-atherosclerotic effects both in mice and humans, on PDGF-induced proliferation, migration, and signal transduction of human coronary artery smooth muscle cells (HCASMCs). PDGF induced Ras and ERK 1/2 activation, while increasing proliferation and migration of HCASMCs, which were dose dependently attenuated by CB(1) antagonist, rimonabant. These findings suggest that in addition to improving plasma lipid alterations and decreasing inflammatory cell migration and inflammatory response, CB(1) antagonists may exert beneficial effects in atherosclerosis and restenosis by decreasing vascular smooth muscle proliferation and migration.
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