Induction of cell cycle‐dependent genes during cell cycle progression of arterial smooth muscle cells in culture

Abstract

Serum stimulation of arterial smooth muscle cells in culture induces a progression through the cell cycle and cell proliferation. Most genes previously described as cell cycle‐dependent in various cell types also demonstrate a cell cycle‐dependent expression in arterial smooth muscle cells. As in other cell types, these genes can be classified into three groups according to their mode of expression: “immediate early” genes (c‐fos, c‐myc,…), “delayed early” genes (2F1,…), and “late‐G1” genes (proliferating cell nuclear antigen, thymidine kinase,…). In addition to these previously described genes, three genes isolated from a cDNA library of stimulated smooth muscle cells have been demonstrated to be cell cycledependent: A21, the rat JE gene, and L51 can be classified as “immediate early” genes, while M11 represents a new member of the “delayed early” gene family.