Serum stimulation, cell-cell interactions, and extracellular matrix independently influence smooth muscle cell phenotype in vitro.

Vascular injury profoundly alters the vessel wall microenvironment, and smooth muscle cells respond with cell cycle re-entry, loss of contractile elements, extracellular matrix remodeling, and altered signaling by endogenous growth factors and their receptors. Environmental cues include stimulation by exogenous mitogens and both cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions. Modeling this process in smooth muscle cells in vitro, these environmental determinants were varied independently and the phenotypic consequences assessed. Mitogenic stimulation with serum promoted the synthesis of collagen and fibronectin and the expression of fibroblast growth factor receptor-1 and suppressed the content of smooth muscle alpha-actin, myosin heavy chain, and basic fibroblast growth factor. Low cell density (reduced cell-cell contact) was also associated with enhanced extracellular matrix protein production, increased fibroblast growth factor receptor-1 expression, and reduced contractile protein and basic fibroblast growth factor content. The influence of serum stimulation and reduced cell-cell contact were independent and additive. Provision of a type I collagen matrix blunted the influence of serum and cell-cell contact on collagen synthesis but had minor effects on other measures of phenotype. Environmental factors thus independently influence smooth muscle cell phenotype, including endogenous growth factor expression and responsiveness, which can in turn influence the microenvironment of the vessel wall after injury.