Effects of cholesterol on the proliferation of cultured rat cardiac fibroblasts

AIM: To investigate the effect of cholesterol(CL) on the proliferation of the cardiac fibroblasts cultured from neonatal rats.MET HODS: The cultured rat cardiac fibroblasts were divided randomly into three groups:control group, middle concentration group (0.5 g/L CL) and high concentration group (1.2 g/L CL). The growth of rat cardiac fibroblasts in each group was measured by means of the incorporation of 3H-TdR and cell phases were determined by flow cytometer(FCM) after the fibroblasts were affected by water-soluble cholesterol. The effect of cholesterol on the intracellular level of c-fos was measured by means of immunohistochemistry stain.RES ULTS: The incorporation of 3H-TdR of rat cardiac fibroblasts of the mid dle concentration group(0.5 g/L) significantly increased (P0.05 vs control group). It was indicated in FCM that the number of rat cardiac fibroblasts in S-phase increased significantly, however, CL of high concentratin(1.2 g/L) inhibited the proliferation of rat cardiac fibroblasts with the incorporation of 3H-TdR decreased(P0.05 vs control group). CL of middle concentration( 0.5 g/L) significantly increased the expression of c-fos in rat cardiac fibroblasts(P0.05, vs control group).CONCLUSION: CL of middle concentration can promote the proliferation of rat cardiac fibroblasts which is associated with the change in c-fos.