The Biological Effects of Simulated Electrical Fields on the Appearance and Migration of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells in Vitro

Abstract: To study the change of some cellular growth factor receptors and their effect on the morphous and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) under electrical field. An electrophoresis apparatus was designed for applying the direct current electric fields to the cultured VSMCs， which got from the aorta of rat. Interval photographs were used to analyse the direction and distance of VSMCs migration. The some cellular growth factors such as platelet derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR)， angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) and type 2 receptor (AT2R) were studied by immunohistochemistry or immunofluorescence. And then the relationship between those receptors and VSMCs migration was analyzed， including the mechanism relation to the migration of VSMCs. Under the direct current electric field， the expression of PDGFR were increased obviously and distributed asymmetricly on the membrane of VSMCs. This receptors were mainly focus on the cathode side of cellular membrane in electric field. The AT1R were also enhanced in the cells after exposure to the electric field， and the expression of AT2R had showed the changeless. The longer time exposure to the 150 mV/mm electric field， the more electrotaxis the cells showed， that is the distance of cellular migration increased obviously with the time comparing with control group. Our study indicates that: electric fields applying to the rat VSMCs can change the growth characteristic and increase the directly migration of VSMCs. These effects maybe relate to the up-regulated expression and re-distribution of some cellular growth factor receptors such as PDGFR， AT1R and AT2R.
    

CSTR: 32200.14.cjcb.2006.02.0022