Lipid accumulation in smooth muscle cell lysosomes in primate atherosclerosis

Cytochemical and ultrastructural examinations of the developing atherosclerotic lesions in hypercholesterolemic rhesus monkeys reveals that lipid is sequestered within lysosomes of aortic smooth muscle cells. A common pathway in the development of sclerotic arterial disease appears to be overloading of vascular smooth muscle cell lysosomes with a variety of metabolites. This may occur as a consequence of an excess of substrate or because of a congenital deficiency of a lysosomal hydrolase.