Lipid accumulation in smooth muscle cell lysosomes im primate atherosclerosis.

Cytochemical and ultrastructural examination of the developing atherosclerotic lesion in hypercholesterolemic rhesus monkeys reveals that lipid is sequestered within lysosomes of aortic smooth muscle cells. A common pathway in the development of sclerotic arterial disease appears to be overloading of vascular smooth muscle cell lysosomes with a variety of metabolites. This may occur as a consequence of an excess of substrate or because of a congenital deficiency of a lysosomal hydrolase.