Human monocytes have been shown to penetrate the endothelial layer of large blood vessels and to adhere to the subendothelial basement membrane. To determine the active components of this process, we have studied the ability of monocytes to adhere to isolated components of the subendothelial matrix. Using a quantitative dot-blot adhesion assay, we find that monocytes adhere preferentially to im...

We evaluated the processes controlling the accumulation of collagen and elastin in main pulmonary arteries of rats during an episode of hypoxic pulmonary hypertension. Explant cultures of main pulmonary arteries were incubated with [3H]proline to measure collagen and protein synthesis and percent collagen synthesis. Elastin synthesis was measured by [14C]valine incorporation into insoluble elas...

Calcification of vascular elastin occurs in patients with arteriosclerosis, renal failure, diabetes, and vascular graft implants. We hypothesized that pathological elastin calcification is related to degenerative and osteogenic mechanisms. To test this hypothesis, the temporal expression of genes and proteins associated with elastin degradation and osteogenesis was examined in the rat subdermal...

Elastin peptides prepared by alcoholic potassium hydroxide degradation of highly purified fibrous elastin from bovine ligamentum nuchae (kappa-elastin) were shown to act on the ion channels of human monocytes, aorta smooth muscle cells, and skin fibroblasts. In small amounts (between 0.1 and 1 microgram/ml), elastin peptides strongly increased calcium influx and inhibited calcium efflux by an a...

Background Elastin is a primary component of the vessel wall and present in all elastic vessels such as the aorta and the pulmonary artery. Elastogenesis begins with the synthesis and secretion of the soluble precursor tropoelastin that becomes cross-linked into insoluble elastin. Under normal conditions cross-linked elastin is the only form of the molecule present in the vessel wall whereas tr...

Changes in both the relative and the absolute amounts of collagen and elastin in segments of the aortic wall of New Zealand white rabbits (1-130 weeks old) were determined by chemical analysis. As in other mammals, elastin was the major component of the wall of the thoracic aorta although the proportion of collagen increased along the abdominal aorta and into the more distant arteries. Data on ...

This study involves the preparation, microstructural, physical, mechanical and biological characterization of novel gelatine and gelatine/elastin gels for their use in the tissue engineering of vascular grafts. Gelatine and gelatin/elastin nanocomposite gels were prepared via a sol-gel process, using soluble gelatine. Gelatine was subsequently crosslinked by leaving the gels in 1% glutaraldehyd...

We show here that cultured neonatal-rabbit aortic smooth-muscle cells produce and accumulate significant amounts of insoluble elastin. When grown in the presence of ascorbic acid, the amount of insoluble elastin in these cultures decreases, whereas the accumulation of collagen increases. These changes have been attributed to increased hydroxylation of proline in elastin. The function of ascorbi...

Interaction between lipoproteins and elastin in the arterial wall may play an important role in atherosclerotic lipid deposition, but binding affinities and other characteristics of the interaction have not been determined previously. Elastin was isolated by hot alkali treatment of human aortic tissue. At 4 degrees C, radioiodinated human low density lipoprotein (LDL) bound to more than one cla...

Calcification of vascular elastin occurs in patients with arteriosclerosis, renal failure, diabetes, and vascular graft implants. We hypothesized that pathological elastin calcification is related to degenerative and osteogenic mechanisms. To test this hypothesis, the temporal expression of genes and proteins associated with elastin degradation and osteogenesis was examined in the rat subdermal...