Early Atheroma-Derived Agonists of Peroxisome Proliferator–Activated Receptor-γ Trigger Intramedial Angiogenesis in a Smooth Muscle Cell–Dependent Manner

Abstract

We show that VEGF-A production is upregulated in medial SMCs of human atheromatous aortas and that peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ agonists derived from early intimal lesions are likely to contribute to this phenotypic change. Our findings suggest that medial SMCs are central organizers of an angiogenic response initiated by the subendothelial accumulation of atherogenic lipids.