A novel aortic smooth muscle cell line obtained from p53 knock out mice expresses several differentiation characteristics

Here we report that; we could obtain a highly differentiated smooth muscle cell line by screening the expression of a-smooth muscle actin from p53 knock out mice aorta. This cell revealed extended bipolar shape and expressed h-caldesmon and calponin as well as a-smooth muscle actin as protein markers of differentiated smooth muscle. Further intracellular calcium increase was induced by application of noradrenaline in a dose dependent manner and calcium oscillation was also observed in a higher dose (100 mu M). Appropriate application of 5-azacytidine enhanced these tendencies and induced slow contraction by endothelin-l and phenylephrine. (C) 1997 Academic Press.