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Query: UMLS:C0004153 (atherosclerosis)
 77,401 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Vascular smooth muscle cells proliferate and transform to foam cells in the process of atherosclerosis. In the present study, we demonstrated that platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB induced expression of proto-oncogene c-fms in vascular smooth muscle cells, which normally do not express c-fms, isolated from either human umbilical artery or rabbit aorta. No effect of the protein kinase C activator, phorbol ester, was demonstrated on mRNA expression of c-fms. In contrast, the scavenger receptor activity was induced by both PDGF-BB and phorbol ester. These results indicate that two characteristic genes of monocyte-macrophages were induced by PDGF-BB via the different pathways, and suggest that PDGF-BB plays an important role in initiating phenotypic conversion of smooth muscle cells to macrophage-like cells.
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PMID:Platelet-derived growth factor induces c-fms and scavenger receptor genes in vascular smooth muscle cells. 153 29

The objective of the work was to follow up on a model of experimental atherosclerosis induced in rabbits by a 1% cholesterol diet the mutual relationship of the deposition of total cholesterol as well as esterified and free fatty acids in the liver and the formation of lipid plaques in the rabbit aorta. The authors investigated also the influence exerted on this process by the s.c. administration of calcium antagonists--Verapamil 0.25 mg.kg-1.day-1 (Lek Ljubl., Jugoslavia), Dilthiazem 2 mg.kg-1.day-1 (Lachema CSFR) and Isradipine 2.5 mg.kg-1.day-1 (Isradipine--N Sandoz, Ltd, Switzerland). The interference of calcium antagonists with the lipid metabolism in the liver as well as the transport mechanism of lipids in the blood stream is differentiated. Verapamil administered in therapeutic doses promotes HDL-cholesterol formation and thus hastens the cholesterol transport from the blood stream into the liver where the latter cumulates. This may be one of the mechanisms of the antiatherogenic action of verapamil. On the other hand, isradipine and in particular dilthiazem administered in treble doses, as compared with therapeutic doses, slightly potentiated the formation of lipid plaques in the rabbit aorta and reduced the HDL-cholesterol level and thus also the cholesterol shift to the liver.
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PMID:[Relation between hepatic lipid metabolism and the formation of lipid plaques in the rabbit aorta in an experimental model of atherosclerosis]. 176 18

Vascular medial smooth muscle cells migrate, proliferate and transform to foam cells in the process of atherosclerosis. We have reported that the intimal smooth muscle cells express proto-oncogene c-fms, a characteristic gene of monocyte-macrophages, which is not normally expressed in medial smooth muscle cells. In the present study, we demonstrated that combinations of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB and either epidermal growth factor (EGF) or fibroblast growth factor (FGF) induced high expression of c-fms in normal human medial smooth muscle cells to the level of intimal smooth muscle cells or monocyte-derived macrophages, whereas c-fms expression by PDGF-BB alone was 1/10 and both EGF and FGF had no independent effect on c-fms expression. By contrast, interferon (IFN)-gamma and macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) suppressed the induction of c-fms expression. These results indicate that multiple growth factors and cytokines may play a role in the phenotypic transformation of medial smooth muscle cells to intimal smooth muscle cells in atherosclerotic lesions by altering c-fms expression.
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PMID:Induction of sustained expression of proto-oncogene c-fms by platelet-derived growth factor, epidermal growth factor, and basic fibroblast growth factor, and its suppression by interferon-gamma and macrophage colony-stimulating factor in human aortic medial smooth muscle cells. 788 62

The macrophage colony-stimulating factor receptor encoded by the c-fms gene is expressed in vascular intimal smooth muscle cells isolated from atherosclerotic lesions. A combination of platelet-derived growth factor-BB and epidermal growth factor induces stable expression of c-fms in normal vascular medial smooth muscle cells. The mechanism by which these growth factors induce c-fms expression has now been investigated in an attempt to gain insight into the events that underlie the phenotypic conversion of vascular smooth muscle cells in atherosclerosis. Deletion analysis of the c-fms promoter revealed that the region including a binding site for transcription factor PU.1 was required for transcriptional activity in human aortic medial smooth muscle cells. Mutation in the PU.1 binding site markedly reduced promoter activity. Northern (RNA) blot analysis demonstrated that growth factors induced the expression of PU.1 mRNA in vascular medial smooth muscle cells and that PU.1 mRNA was expressed in vascular intimal smooth muscle cells. PU.1 antisense oligonucleotides inhibited growth factor-induced c-fms expression and foam cell formation. These results suggest that transcription factor PU.1 plays an essential role in the phenotypic conversion of vascular smooth muscle cells to macrophagelike cells by mediating the induction of c-fms.
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PMID:Transcription factor PU.1 mediates induction of c-fms in vascular smooth muscle cells: a mechanism for phenotypic change to phagocytic cells. 862 93

Pathologic changes produced (or potentiated) by the diabetic state include diabetic retinopathy, nephropathy, and atherosclerosis. There is evidence that the macrophage is implicated in the pathogenesis of these lesions. One of the growth factors known to exert a profound influence on macrophage physiology is colony-stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1). CSF-1 has previously been shown to be produced by endothelial cells, mesangial cells, and vascular smooth muscle cells, and it is reasonable to suggest that the interaction of this factor on infiltrating macrophages is an event that may have pivotal importance in the formation of diabetic lesions. We report on the modulating influence of hyperglycemia on the proliferative response of mouse splenic macrophages to CSF-1. Our studies showed that hyperglycemia enhanced the growth response of such macrophages to CSF-1. The mechanism underlying this enhanced response was examined, and it was demonstrated that hyperglycemia induced a threefold increase in CSF-1 receptor (CSF-1r) mRNA expression as visualized by Northern blot analysis. These investigations provide insight into one of the molecular mechanisms potentially relevant to the genesis of diabetic lesions in the host.
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PMID:Hyperglycemia augments macrophage growth responses to colony-stimulating factor-1. 878

Vascular smooth muscle cells (SMC) transform to foam cells in the process of atherosclerosis. We have reported that SMC derived from the intima of atherosclerotic lesions express c-fms, macrophage colony-stimulating factor receptor gene, which is not normally expressed in medial SMC. In the present study, we demonstrated that transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) synergistically induced expression of c-fms in the presence of platelet-derived growth factor-BB in human medial SMC, a level comparable to that observed in the intima. The induction of c-fms was not inhibited by protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor, suggesting that TGF-beta induces c-fms via a PKC-independent pathway. These results suggest that TGF-beta plays an important role in the phenotypic change of smooth muscle cells to macrophage-like cells in the process of atherosclerosis.
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PMID:Synergistic effects of transforming growth factor-beta on the expression of c-fms, macrophage colony-stimulating factor receptor gene, in vascular smooth muscle cells. 898 46

Recent studies have identified the presence of macrophages in the arterial wall of hypertensive animals and suggested that as is the case in atherosclerosis, macrophage products may be important mediators of the adaptive response of the arterial wall. In support of this, we have previously shown that the expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 is upregulated in the arteries of hypertensive animals. We hypothesized that macrophage recruitment is a critical step in the pathogenesis of hypertension. To obtain insights into this potential mechanism, we made use of mice deficient in the CC chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2), the receptor for monocyte chemoattractant protein-1. Hypertension was induced with the subcutaneous administration of angiotensin II (0.75 mg. kg(-1). d(-1)) for 7 days. Using in situ hybridization with a probe for c-fms to identify macrophages, we found that hypertension-induced macrophage infiltration of the arterial wall was virtually eliminated in CCR2-deficient mice. In addition, vascular hypertrophy was reduced by approximately 65% compared with wild-type animals. These data demonstrate that CCR2 is essential for the recruitment of macrophages into the arterial wall in the setting of hypertension. Furthermore, the decreased hypertrophic response suggests that vascular hypertrophy occurs in part as a consequence of macrophage infiltration. In angiotensin II-induced hypertension, CCR2-mediated responses are critical to the process of macrophage recruitment and vascular hypertrophy and may represent one mechanism by which at least some forms of hypertension may lead to the development of atherosclerosis.
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PMID:CC chemokine receptor 2 is required for macrophage infiltration and vascular hypertrophy in angiotensin II-induced hypertension. 1098 65

Colony-stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1, also known as macrophage-CSF) is the primary regulator of the survival, proliferation, differentiation and function of mononuclear phagocytes. Studies that involve CSF-1-deficient mice demonstrate that there is a variable requirement for CSF-1 in the development of individual mononuclear phagocyte populations. However, these cells uniformly express the CSF-1 receptor, and their morphology, phagocytosis and responsiveness to infectious and non-infectious stimuli is regulated by CSF-1. CSF-1 plays important roles in innate immunity, cancer and inflammatory diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus, arthritis, atherosclerosis and obesity. In several conditions, activation of macrophages involves a CSF-1 autocrine loop. In addition, secreted and cell-surface isoforms of CSF-1 can have differential effects in inflammation and immunity.
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PMID:Colony-stimulating factor-1 in immunity and inflammation. 1633 66

Monocytes are circulating blood leukocytes that play important roles in the inflammatory response, which is essential for the innate response to pathogens. But inflammation and monocytes are also involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases, including atherosclerosis. In adult mice, monocytes originate in the bone marrow in a Csf-1R (MCSF-R, CD115)-dependent manner from a hematopoietic precursor common for monocytes and several subsets of macrophages and dendritic cells (DCs). Monocyte heterogeneity has long been recognized, but in recent years investigators have identified three functional subsets of human monocytes and two subsets of mouse monocytes that exert specific roles in homeostasis and inflammation in vivo, reminiscent of those of the previously described classically and alternatively activated macrophages. Functional characterization of monocytes is in progress in humans and rodents and will provide a better understanding of the pathophysiology of inflammation.
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PMID:Blood monocytes: development, heterogeneity, and relationship with dendritic cells. 1913 17

Previous studies have shown that colony stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1) deficiency dramatically reduced atherogenesis in mice. In this report we investigate this mechanism and explore a therapeutic avenue based on inhibition of CSF-1 signaling. Lesions from macrophage colony stimulating factor-1 (Csf1)+/- mice showed increased numbers of apoptotic macrophages, decreased overall macrophage content, and inflammation. In vitro studies indicated that CSF-1 is chemotactic for monocytes. Bone marrow transplantation studies suggested that vascular cell-derived, rather than macrophage-derived, CSF-1 is responsible for the effect on atherosclerosis. Consistent with previous studies, CSF-1 affected lesion development in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting that pharmacological inhibition of CSF-1 might achieve similar results. Indeed, we observed that treatment of hyperlipidemic mice with a CSF-1 receptor kinase inhibitor inhibited plaque progression. This observation was accompanied by a reduction in the expression of adhesion factors (ICAM-1), macrophage markers (F4/80), inflammatory cytokines (Il-6, Il-1beta), and macrophage matrix degradation enzymes (MMP-9). We conclude that the M-CSF pathway contributes to monocyte recruitment and macrophage survival and that this pathway is a potential target for therapeutic intervention.
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PMID:Arterial colony stimulating factor-1 influences atherosclerotic lesions by regulating monocyte migration and apoptosis. 2019 10


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