Cytokines induce upregulation of vascular P2Y(2) receptors and increased mitogenic responses to UTP and ATP
P2Y(2) receptors, which mediate contractile and mitogenic effects of extracellular nucleotides in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), are upregulated in the synthetic phenotype of VSMCs and in the neointima after balloon angioplasty, suggesting a role in the development of atherosclerosis. Because released cytokines in atherosclerotic lesions mediate multiple effects on gene transcription in VSM