Growth regulation by heparin in the vascular wall

Abstract

Vascular smooth muscle proliferation follows upon endothelial injury, and is thought to be an early component in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, and a possible noxious consequence of vascular surgery. We have shown that heparin suppresses vascular smooth muscle proliferation iri vivo and in vitro. The inhibitory effect is specific for heparin, and not other anions, and is not related to the antithrombin III binding activity of heparin. It is dependent on the size of the molecule, (hexasaccharidees or smaller being ineffective), and O-sulfation, but not N-sulfation