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The Relationship Of Cyclic Amp Levels And Collagen Synthesis In Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Following Estrogen Or Beta-Adrenergic Treatment, George John Dimopoulos

Doctoral Dissertations

The use of estrogens in postmenopausal women has become controversial. Estrogen replacement therapy has been used for many years to slow the progression of atherosclerosis. However, recent clinical studies have shown that menopausal women on hormone replacement therapy have higher incidences of myocardial infarctions and strokes than their counterparts without the therapy. Other studies have demonstrated that a decrease in collagen content in advanced atherosclerotic lesions may weaken the structural integrity of these lesions, resulting in rupture and clot formation. Within lesions, vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) actively synthesize collagen and other types of extracellular matrix proteins during atherogenesis. Estrogen, …