The platelet‐derived growth factor isomers, PDGF‐AA, PDGF‐AB and PDGF‐BB, induce contraction of vascular smooth muscle cells by different intracellular mechanisms

Abstract
The effect of human recombinant platelet‐derived growth factor (PDGF) isoforms, (r)PDGF‐AA, PDGF‐AB and PDGF‐BB, on contractility of rat aortic rings as well as on intercellular free Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i), intracellular pHi (pHi) and thromboxane A2 (TXA2) formation in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) was examined. PDGF‐BB behaved similar to PDGF‐AB and both have features characteristic of conventional vasocontrictor‐agonists that directly increase [Ca2+]i, activate the Na+/H+ exchanger, stimulate the TXA2 formation, and induced contraction in VSMC whereas PDGF‐AA induced contraction without increasing of [Ca2+]i, pHi, and TXA2 formation.