Studies on Differences Between Macrophage-derived and Smooth Muscle Cell-derived Foam Cell

Objective: Foam cells in atherosclerotic lesions derive from macrophages and smooth muscle cells. In this study, some pathological differences between the two kinds of foam cells were studied in vitro. Methods Results: Foam-like cells were generated by incubating the peritoneal macrophages from C57BL./6J mouse or porcine aorta smooth muscle cells with oxidized low density lipoprotein (OLDL). Macrophages were incubated with 10 mg·L OLDL for 96 h. The total intracellular cholesterol was 77. 6 ±8.3 mg·g in which the cholesterol esters was 53.1%. The cholesterol content was not affected remarkably by Xiaoban-peptide. Most foam like cells began to die on the 8th day. The smooth muscle cells were incubated with 15 mg·Ｌ OLDL for 72 h.The total cholesterol was 187.3 ±9.2 mg·g, with 64. 1% being cholesterol esters. The cholesterol was influenced considerably by Xiaoban-peptide. large number of foam-like cells began to die on the 6th day. Conclusion: These results suggested that two kinds of foam cells were different in their developing environment and speeds, cholesterol contents, viabilities and reversibilities.