Parathyroid hormone has a prosclerotic effect on vascular smooth muscle cells

Abstract

Although accelerated atherosclerosis and arteriosclerosis are common in patients with renal failure, the pathogenesis of these changes is poorly understood. Parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels are elevated in renal failure, and have been linked to uraemic vascular changes in some studies. We examined the in vitro effects of increasing doses of the 1-34 fragment of PTH on human aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Factors examined were: (1) collagen production using tritiated hydroxyproline incorporation and transcription of pro-collagen α1(I) mRNA; (2) change in the surface area of collagen I lattices; (3) mRNA transcription of the collagen binding protein β1 integrin; (4) proliferation..