Peritoneal macrophages: a model for detecting atherogenic potential in patients' blood serum

Human and mouse peritoneal macrophages cultured in the presence of the blood serum of patients with documented coronary heart disease showed a 2- to 3-fold rise in levels of intracellular cholesterol ester and a 1.5- to 2-fold increase in those of free cholesterol and triglycerides. This effect was observed in 83% of cases, whereas the serum of healthy subjects induced the accumulation of lipids in macrophages only in 28% of cases. These data accord with previously published observations obtained on smooth muscle cells of human aortic intima. A direct correlation was found between the accumulation of cholesterol in macrophages and in cultured smooth muscle cells of human aortic intima. The accumulation of lipids in macrophages was dose dependent and increased with time. It is assumed that a culture of peritoneal macrophages may serve as a model for identifying an atherogenic potential of patients' blood serum.