Aldosterone-Induced Transformation of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells into Macrophage-like Cells Participates in Inflammatory Vascular Lesions.

ABSTRACT: Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) are the most abundant cell type in blood vessels, participating in cardiovascular diseases in various ways, among which their transformation into macrophage-like cells has become a research hotspot. In this study, rats were infused with aldosterone for 12 weeks, and VSMCs stimulated with aldosterone in vitro were used to observe aortic injury and the role of VSMC transformation. Vascular changes were detected via small animal ultrasound and H&E staining. Moreover, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, Western blot, and flow cytometry were used to verify that the transformation of VSMCs into macrophage-like cells is regulated by mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) activation and macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) and its receptor. Rat vasculatu

SUBMITTER: Zhang B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11989480 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature