The effect of oxyhemoglobin on the proliferation and migration of cultured vascular advential fibroblasts

Abstract

The vascular adventitia is activated in a variety of vascular disease states but its role in cerebral vasospasm has been easily disregarded. Since oxyhemoglobin (oxyHb) is implicated as one of the most important spasmogens for cerebral vasospasm that follows aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), 1-200 μM of oxyHb were used in this study to mimic the clinical situation, and the effects of oxyHb on cells proliferation and migration of cultured rat aortic smooth muscle cells was investigated. Morphological and biochemical techniques, such as MTT assay, flow cytometry cell cycle analysis, monolayer-wounding and Boyden's chamber migration assay were used. Results showed that low concentration of oxyHb (1-100 μM) increase the proliferation and migration of cultured VAFs. On the contrary, high concentration of oxyHb (200 μM) inhibit proliferation and migration of cultured vascular advential fibroblasts (VAFs). This study provides in vitro evidence that oxyhemoglob in could affect the proliferation and migration of cultured VAFs. The results support the hypothesis that VAFs may play a significant role in the vascular response to injury after SAH, and may be a novel potential therapeutic target in future. © 2008 Springer-Verlag.