Agonist-induced polyphosphoinositide breakdown in cultured human endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cells

Human aortic endothelial cells and smooth cells (SMC) from human aorta and coronary arteries were grown in culture. Subcultured vascular SMC retained several important features of human vascular SMC in situ, for example, vimentin-type intermediate filaments, smooth muscle myosin, a well-developed microfilament system, and expression of caldesmon protein involved in the regulation of contraction in smooth muscle. Aortic endothelial cells were shown to possess functional receptors to histamine, thrombin, serotonin, acetylcholine, bradykinin, platelet activating factor (PAF), angiotensin II, vasopressin, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and U46619, a stable analog of thromboxane A2. All these substances stimulated polyphosphoinositide (PPI) breakdown in endothelium. Thrombin, histamine, and PAF were the most potent activators. The response of aortic SMC to the same panel of agonists were different. Serotonin, histamine, and angiotensin II produced higher levels of inositol phosphates (IP, IP2, IP3) in SMC than in endothelium. Responses to acetylcholine, bradykinin, and PGE2 were weak and inferior to those of endothelial cells. Other agents evoked approximately equivalent responses in both cell types. Coronary artery SMC resembled aortic SMC in the high extent of PPI hydrolysis after stimulation with serotonin and histamine. The complete inability of angiotensin II and vasopressin to cause accumulation of inositol phosphates in coronary SMC contrasted with the presence of functional receptors to these hormones on aortic SMC. We conclude that the effect of vasoactive agents on human vascular cells may be realized via activation of PPI hydrolysis. Agonists with reported strong vasoconstrictor action seem to stimulate preferential PPI hydrolysis in SMC, whereas endothelium-dependent relaxers cause more pronounced PPI breakdown in endothelial cells. Peculiarities of angiotensin II and vasopressin receptor expression and/or coupling in human aorta and coronary artery SMC may be relevant for understanding the selective action of agonists on human vessels.