Enhanced serelaxin signalling in co-cultures of human primary endothelial and smooth muscle cells

Abstract

Background and Purpose In the phase III clinical trial, RELAX-AHF, serelaxin caused rapid and long-lasting haemodynamic changes. However, the cellular mechanisms involved are unclear in humans. Experimental Approach This study examined the effects of serelaxin in co-cultures of human primary endothelial cells (ECs) and smooth muscle cells (SMCs) on cAMP and cGMP signalling. Key Results Stimulation of HUVECs or human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAECs) with serelaxin, concentration-dependently increased cGMP accumulation in co-cultured SMCs to a greater extent than in monocultures of either cell type. This was not observed in human umbilical artery endothelial cells (HUAECs) that do no..