ABSTRACT
<p><b>AIM</b>To study the effect of angiotensin II (Ang II) on platelet-derived growth factor(PDGF) receptor expression in vascular smooth muscle cell(VSMC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Restenosis model was established by balloon injury in rat aorta. The morphologic change and level of Ang II were measured at 14th day after operation. The expression of PDGF-beta receptor was detected by Western blot. The cultured VSMC pretreated with or without losartan were treated with Ang II.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with sham group, the sections of injured aorta showed marked intimal thickening with large numbers of VSMCs proliferation throughout intima and media, the level of Ang II obviously increased by 78.8% (P < 0.05), the expression of PDGF-beta receptor significantly increased by 83.9% (P < 0.05) at 14th day after operation. The expression of PDGF-beta receptor in cultured VSMC treated with Ang II was higher than that of control group (P < 0.01). The effect of Ang II was inhibited remarkably by pretreatment with losartan.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Ang II can stimulate PDGF receptor expression in VSMC, it may be an important mechanism of Ang II-induced VSMC proliferation.</p>
