Toxicity of renal lysosomal contents on aortic smooth muscle cells in culture.

Effects of hog renal lysosomal contents and renin on cultured rat aortic smooth muscle cells (SMCs) were studied in attempts to determine mechanisms related to production of arterial lesions. The lysosomal contents rich in renin and with the pressor and the cytotoxic effects in vivo, inhibited the plating efficiency of SMCs in a dose- and incubation time-dependent manner. No inhibition occurred with the purified hog renin. The possibility that renal lysosomal contents contain a substance(s), other than renin, which has a direct toxic effect on vascular SMCs has to be given attention.