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International Journal of Toxicology
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Original Research

Cocaine Induces Apoptosis in Primary Cultured Rat Aortic Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells: Possible Relationship to Aortic Dissection, Atherosclerosis, and Hypertension

Jialin Su1
Jianfeng Li1
Wenyan Li1
Bella T. Altura1,3
Burton M. Altura1,2,3

1 Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, USA
2 Department of Medicine, State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, USA
3 The Center for Cardiovascular and Muscle Research, State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, USA

Correspondence: Address correspondence to Professor B. M. Altura, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center, 450 Clarkson Avenue, Box 31, Brooklyn, NY 11203-2056, USA. E-mail:baltura{at}downstate.edu

Cocaine abuse is known to induce many adverse cardiovascular effects, including hypertension, atherosclerosis, and aortic dissection. A major physiological event leading to these pathophysiological actions of cocaine could be apoptosis. This study was designed to investigate if primary cultured rat aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) can undergo apoptosis when treated with cocaine. After treatment with cocaine (10–6 to 10–4 M), morphological analysis of aortic VSMCs using confocal fluoresence microscopy showed that the percentage of apoptotic aortic VSMCs increased after cocaine (10–6 to 10–4 M) treatment for 12, 24, and 48 h. These results demonstrate that aortic VSMCs can undergo rapid apoptosis in response to cocaine in a concentration-dependent manner. Cocaine-induced apoptosis may thus play a major role in cocaine abuse-induced aortic dissection, atherosclerosis, and hypertension.

Key Words: Aortic Dissection • Apoptosis • Cocaine Abuse • Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells

International Journal of Toxicology, Vol. 23, No. 4, 233-237 (2004)
DOI: 10.1080/10915810490471361
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