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Effects of a somatostatin analogue (SMS 201-995) on hepatic and splenic reticulo-endothelial function in the rat.

The effects of a long acting somatostatin analogue, SMS 201-995, on reticulo-endothelial system (RES) activity were studied in rats. Administration of 2 micrograms SMS 201-995 subcutaneously twice a day for 7 days significantly increased the splenic and hepatic uptake of 99mTc-sulphur colloid and damaged 51mCr-red blood cells. Furthermore, SMS 201-995 administration significantly increased the plasma clearance of colloidal carbon as indicated by a lower area under the curve and an increased elimination constant. SMS 201-995 administration also significantly improved survival after intraperitoneal injection of Escherichia coli endotoxin. These results suggest that SMS 201-995 stimulates RES activity in rats. It is suggested that SMS 201-995 may be of value in stimulating RES activity in patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension.

Animals

Endothelial functional responses and increased vascular permeability induced by polycations.

Polycations such as poly-L-lysine powerfully stimulated cultured endothelial cells from pig aorta to release prostacyclin and cytoplasmic purines in a dose (charge)-dependent and molecular weight (size) dependent manner. Neutral or anionic polymers were inactive. Qualitatively similar findings were made in vivo where poly-L-lysine induced charge and size-dependent local edema formation after intradermal injection in the rabbit. Pretreatment of cultured endothelium with heparin or trypsin (but not neuraminidase) effectively reduced the response of the cells to subsequent exposure to poly-L-lysine suggesting an interaction of polycations with integral membrane proteins. Edema responses to poly-L-lysine were reduced in the presence of indomethacin suggesting that generation of an endogenous vasodilator prostaglandin, perhaps endothelial cell-derived, was an important component of the response. Poly-L-lysine-induced edema formation was not dependent on endogenous histamine release but was reduced by locally administered trasylol while soybean trypsin inhibitor failed to inhibit the response. Our results indicate that polycations such as poly-L-lysine can induce responses of vascular endothelium in vitro and in vivo and that the effects are not only charge-related but are also dependent on the size of the polycation. We suggest that naturally occurring polycations such as those derived from leukocytes and platelets may play an important role in various pathologic processes and that this may be closely related to their size.

4,5-Dihydro-1-(3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-1H-pyraz

Endothelial cell binding by human polyclonal anti-DNA antibodies: relationship to disease activity and endothelial functional alterations.

Polyclonal anti-dsDNA and anti-ssDNA antibodies (PoAb) that showed significant binding to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were isolated from eight patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Anti-dsDNA PoAbs from five patients and anti-ssDNA PoAbs from seven patients demonstrated enhanced binding to HUVEC during active disease, compared with PoAbs obtained from corresponding patients during remission. Reduction of the DNA content in the PoAb preparations by DNase treatment was associated with enhanced binding to HUVEC in 20 of 32 PoAbs tested, which included 75% 'active disease' PoAbs, and with reduced binding to HUVEC in three of 32 PoAbs tested, all obtained during remission. Such altered endothelial cell binding was reversed with DNA reconstitution. Binding of the remaining nine PoAbs to HUVEC was not altered by variations in their DNA content. Induced plasma membrane expression of E-selectin, but reduced expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) by HUVEC, was observed following incubation of HUVEC with 'active disease' PoAbs from three and two of the eight patients, respectively. PoAbs and serum samples from two of the eight patients during active disease induced von Willebrand factor release from HUVEC, which was not observed during remission. We conclude that anti-DNA antibodies from selected patients with SLE can bind to endothelial cells. Correlation between cellular binding and disease activity suggests that such binding of anti-DNA antibodies to endothelial cells could be of pathogenic significance. Preliminary data also suggest that the expression of adhesion molecules and haemostatic factor(s) by endothelial cells may be modified following their binding by anti-DNA antibodies.

Adolescent

Iloprost preserves endothelial function against cyclosporin A and sensitises microvessels towards endothelium-dependent and -independent vasodilatation.

The effects of iloprost have been investigated on the endothelial damage produced by cyclosporin-A (Cy-A) and on the microvascular reactivity to sodium nitroprusside (SNP), acetylcholine (ACh) and isoprenaline (ISO) following iloprost treatment i.e. in the absence of effective plasma levels, using the hamster cheek pouch. It has been shown that iloprost protects the microvascular arteriolar endothelium from functional damage by Cy-A and that iloprost infusion for 12-14 hr sensitizes the arterioles to ACh, SNP and ISO, an effect which is evident 5 hr but not 24 hr following treatment and in the case of ACh is abolished by indomethacin.

15-Hydroxy-11 alpha,9 alpha-(epoxymethano)prosta-5

Cardiac ischemia and endothelial function in the isolated rabbit heart.

Truly effective prevention of reperfusion myocardial damage is precluded in part by a lack of understanding of the earliest events which accompany ischemia. The purpose of this study was to assess the coronary endothelial response to two forms of ischemic injury in an isolated crystalloid perfused rabbit heart. Global cardiac ischemia, confirmed by NADH fluorescence photography, was induced either by mechanically reducing coronary flow by 90% (MRCF, N = 11) or by an infusion of N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP, N = 11), a known stimulus for leukotriene synthesis and coronary vasospasm. Compared with control, MRCF resulted in an increase in effluent concentrations of both prostacyclin (152 +/- 22 pg/ml vs 951 +/- 214 pg/ml, P less than 0.05) and plasminogen activator (0.8 +/- .3 IU/ml vs 1.4 +/- 0.5, P less than 0.05) but no detectable increase in effluent thromboxane B2 or leukotriene C4 concentrations. fMLP infusion resulted in an immediate reduction in coronary flow coincident with diffuse myocardial ischemia. In contrast to MRCF, however, fMLP-induced ischemia resulted in a significant but smaller increase in effluent prostacyclin concentration (210 +/- 47 pg/ml vs 606 +/- .55 pg/ml, P = 0.05) and a marked increase in both thromboxane B2 (less than or equal to 33 +/- 4 pg/ml vs 1141 +/- 375 pg/ml, P less than 0.05) and leukotriene C4 (less than 0.25 ng/ml vs 3.3 +/- 1.2 ng/ml, P less than 0.05) concentrations. Additionally, fMLP caused a reduction in effluent plasminogen activator activity (0.5 +/- 0.1 IU/ml vs 0.39 +/- 0.1 IU/ml, N = 4).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha

Alterations of presynaptic and endothelial functions in SHR: effects of adenosine.

The effects of adenosine on stimulation-evoked 3H-efflux from perfused mesenteric arteries pretreated with 3H-norepinephrine and on norepinephrine-induced contractile responses of the thoracic aorta before and after mechanical removal of endothelial cells were examined in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) compared with Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY). Adenosine inhibited the stimulation-evoked 3H-efflux; this inhibitory effect was smaller in young and adult SHR than age-matched WKY. Mechanical removal of endothelial cells rendered the SHR aorta much less responsive to adenosine, while in the WKY aorta endothelial removal had no influence on the relaxation response to adenosine. These results support the hypothesis that pre-synaptic factors are contributory whereas endothelial factors are compensatory to hypertension in SHR.

Adenosine

Removal of endothelial function in coronary resistance vessels by saponin.

Studies of the role of the endothelium in coronary resistance vessels are limited to investigations of endothelium-derived relaxing factor mediated effects using various blocking agents. Endothelium removal as an alternative approach, is restricted to larger epicardial vessels. This study demonstrates the effect of endothelial damage by saponin on coronary resistance vessels remaining intact within the heart. In an isolated perfused guinea pig heart a saponin-containing solution (50 micrograms/ml) was infused over 2 min to damage specifically the endothelium. Increases of coronary flow in response to carbachol, histamine, and serotonin were completely blocked and reversed to decreases. Angiotensin-I-induced vasoconstriction was attenuated, whereas angiotensin-II-induced vasoconstriction remained unchanged. Vasodilatory response to sodium-nitroprusside was not attenuated by saponin-treatment. In contrast inhibition of endothelium derived relaxing factor by gossypol inhibited carbachol-induced vasodilation but did not result in vasoconstriction. Electron microscopic examination ensured that while the endothelium was destroyed by saponin-treatment the vascular smooth muscle was left intact. Our data indicate a regulating influence of the vascular endothelium on coronary resistance vessels which can be totally eliminated by saponin-treatment.

Angiotensin II

[Endothelial function in contact lens-induced deep corneal opacities].

Deep stromal and preendothelial corneal opacities have been described to be a problem of growing importance in contact lens wearers, above all in those with a more than ten-year-old history of contact lens wearing. In the present study the corneal endothelial permeability of 21 patients with a more than ten-year-old history of contact lens (HEMA 38%) wearing has been determined and compared with that of an age-matched group of 8 healthy individuals without ocular disease. The corneal endothelial permeability has been measured by a computerized automated fluorophotometer (Coherent Radiation Fluorotron Master) after topical application of a Na-fluorescein solution according to the method described by Jones and Maurice. The corneal endothelial permeability of contact lens wearers with deep corneal opacities has been found to be significantly (p = 0.05) increased when compared with contact lens wearers without corneal opacities. Contact lens wearers without corneal opacities showed no significant increase of their endothelial permeability in comparison to the control group.

Cell Membrane Permeability

Aging and endothelial function in normotensive subjects and patients with essential hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Experimental data from normotensive and hypertensive animals indicate that aging is associated with impaired endothelium-dependent relaxations to acetylcholine, and this possibility appears to be confirmed in the human coronary artery. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of age on endothelial responsiveness in the forearm vessels of either normotensive control subjects or essential hypertensive patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: Within the normotensive or hypertensive group (n = 53 and n = 57, respectively), subjects were selected with similar blood pressure, plasma cholesterol, and glucose values, and hypercholesterolemic subjects, diabetics, and smokers were excluded. We evaluated forearm blood flow (by strain-gauge plethysmography) modifications induced by intrabrachial acetylcholine (0.15, 0.45, 1.5, 4.5, and 15 micrograms/100 mL per minute), an endothelium-dependent vasodilator, and sodium nitroprusside (1, 2, and 4 micrograms/100 mL per minute), an endothelium-independent vasodilator. Acetylcholine caused a dose-dependent vasodilation that was significantly (P < .01) lower in essential hypertensive patients than in normotensive control subjects. However, a significant negative correlation was observed between acetylcholine-induced vasodilation and patient age in both normotensive (r = -.86, P < .001) and hypertensive (r = -.85, P < .001) patients. In contrast, vasodilation to sodium nitroprusside was similar in normotensive control subjects and essential hypertensive patients with a poorer inverse correlation with patient age (normotensive control subjects, r = -.37; hypertensive patients, r = -.36) compared with acetylcholine. CONCLUSIONS: The present data indicate that there is a blunted response to acetylcholine with advancing age in both normotensive control subjects and essential hypertensive patients, suggesting that aging is associated with reduced endothelium-dependent vasodilation in humans.

Acetylcholine

Endothelial function in thrombosis and thrombolysis.

The localization of tissue factor (TF) in atherosclerotic plaques of human aortas was immunohistochemically examined using rabbit anti-IgG against recombinant TF, which was expressed in E. coli. TF, the initiator of the extrinsic coagulation pathway, was ubiquitously present in atherosclerotic intima, and was expressed mainly by macrophages, but not by endothelial cells. It has been suggested that some macrophages in atherosclerotic intima co-express both molecules of TF and platelet-derived growth factor-B chain. We have developed a morphometrically quantitative in vitro assay for angiogenesis, using endothelial cultures on collagen gel incorporating plasminogen. With this method, we have obtained findings suggesting that plasminogen and plasminogen activators (PAs), especially urokinase-type PA (uPA) derived from endothelial cells, enhance angiogenic activity, probably by increasing endothelial migration. uPA was immunohistochemically observed to be primarily cell-associated on the focal contract areas, probably via its receptors on endothelial cells. These findings may support the hypothesis that the activation and regulation of the pericellular fibrinolysis system is closely related to angiogenesis.

Animals

Late endothelial function of free and pedicled internal mammary artery grafts.

The internal mammary artery has greater long-term patency than the saphenous vein when used for coronary bypass grafting. Therefore, bilateral use of the internal mammary artery for grafting with the right internal mammary artery used as a "free" graft may result in improved graft survival. The study objectives were to compare the endothelial-dependent and -independent vasodilatory response in free and pedicled internal mammary artery grafts in patients who had previously undergone coronary surgery. Free (group 1, n = 8) and pedicled (group 2, n = 7) internal mammary artery grafts were studied by comparing the response to selective infusion of the endothelial-dependent vasodilator substance P (1.4 up to 22.4 pmol/min in doubling dose increments) followed by isosorbide dinitrate (2 mg over 2 minutes), in patients undergoing coronary angiography, 1 month to 6 years after coronary surgery. Maximal dilatory response to substance P was 8.7% +/- 1.8% in pedicled grafts compared with 8.8% +/- 2.3% in free grafts (p = not significant), with the dose response for both groups being similar. Infusion of isosorbide dinitrate produced only minimal further dilatation in both groups. No significant difference was found in endothelium-dependent and -independent vasodilatory response between free and pedicled internal mammary artery grafts, suggesting that the use of the free right internal mammary artery and other arterial grafts may enhance graft survival.

Adult

Perturbation of endothelial functions by ionizing irradiation: effects on prostaglandins, chemoattractants and mitogens.

Numerous studies have shown that early radiation injury is characterized by vascular damage and that the initial site of damage appears to be the EC lining of the vessel wall. Chronic irreversible tissue reactions to radiation include thrombotic occlusion of capillaries, enhanced atherosclerosis in larger vessels, inflammatory changes, and late tissue fibrosis. These processes may be mediated by endothelial products released as a result of cellular injury. Using EC cultures, we show that ionizing irradiation affects one of the major vascular defense mechanisms against platelet activation, thrombosis, and atherosclerosis--the capacity to produce PGI2. Dose- and time-related damage to enzymes of the arachidonic acid cascade were demonstrated. Radiation damage is associated with oxidant stress and production of free radicals. The oxygen radical scavenger, vitamin C, was found to protect the capacity of irradiated ECs to produce PGI2. Radiation injury often induces an acute inflammatory response. We found that irradiated ECs release a chemotactic factor for neutrophils, which is a lipid product of the lipoxygenase pathway. Late radiation-induced tissue fibrosis and the capacity of radiation to enhance arteriosclerosis may involve participation of mitogens released from perturbed and damaged ECs. We show that conditioned medium of irradiated ECs contain larger amounts of newly synthesized mitogens capable of stimulating the proliferation of fibroblasts, SMCs, and ECs. Hence, it may be assumed that the mitogenic activity released by irradiated ECs includes both PDGF and FGF-like mitogens.

Animals

Endothelial function in normal and pre-eclamptic pregnancy: a hypothesis.

Pre-eclampsia is the most common medical complication of pregnancy. Immunologic maladaptation has been suggested to play a role in the etiology of pre-eclampsia. The putative misalliance of fetal trophoblast with maternal tissue in the uteroplacental vascular bed may give rise to an increase in oxygen free radicals. Oxygen free radicals and lipid peroxides might form the link between the hypothetical immunologic maladaptation and the endothelial cell damage known to occur in pre-eclampsia. Recent studies have demonstrated the existence of increased oxygen free radical production in pre-eclampsia. Oxygen free radicals and lipid peroxides decrease vascular prostacyclin and EDRF release and increase thromboxane A2 and endothelin release. The hypothesis is put forward that in pre-eclampsia a proposed immunologic maladaptation causes an increase in oxygen free radicals by decidual lymphoid cells. A decrease in vasodilatory autocoids, prostacyclin and EDRF may result from the endothelial cell damage induced by oxygen free radicals. Uteroplacental prostacyclin production might be essential as escape mechanism. The adequacy as escape mechanism seems to determine the final clinical outcome.

Blood Platelets

Preservation of endothelial function by ramipril in rabbits on a long-term atherogenic diet.

Hypertension and hypercholesterolemia predispose to atherosclerosis. Ramipril, known to lower blood pressure, was used to study the effect of converting-enzyme inhibition on impairment of endothelium-derived relaxation and changes in basal cGMP content in rabbits fed an atherogenic diet (0.25% cholesterol). The generation of cGMP in the presence of bradykinin and ramiprilat was studied in vitro in aortic segments from normal untreated rabbits as well as in bovine endothelial cells. The ability to relax in response to acetylcholine was almost abolished in aortic segments from the vehicle-treated rabbits fed the atherogenic diet for 4 months. The basal cGMP content was substantially reduced. Aortic segments from rabbits concomitantly treated with ramipril (0.3 and 3.0 mg/kg/day) for 3 months showed well-preserved relaxation and matching basal cGMP content compared to normal controls. The relaxation was not significantly greater in aortic segments from ramipril-treated rabbits fed the standard diet, but the cGMP content was more than doubled. In vitro studies in aortic segments and in endothelial cells showed that both the ramiprilat and bradykinin concentrations dependently stimulated cGMP formation, which serves as a biochemical marker of nitric oxide or EDRF release. Thus, the observed endothelial protection against hypercholesterolemia by ramipril may be the result of continuously increased cGMP formation due to preserved EDRF release. This is presumably produced by enhanced bradykinin activity through inhibition of degradation by converting-enzyme inhibition with ramipril.

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors

Effects of mechanical agitation on endothelial function of preserved corneas.

Corneas from adult albino New Zealand rabbits were stored in either MK medium or moist chambers at 4 degrees C. for 18 to 24 hours. During that time, half the corneas from each group were agitated for 8 hours to simulate the motion that might occur during long-distance shipment. The corneas were then placed in specular microscopes and perfused for 4 hours with a modified Krebs-Ringer solution at 34 degrees C. Serial measurements of corneal thickness made during temperature reversal showed that agitation had no effect on endothelial viability of corneas stored in either solution. Electron microscopy of selected corneas confirmed this finding.

Animals

Different influence of superoxide anions and hydrogen peroxide on endothelial function of isolated cat cerebral and pulmonary arteries.

1. Exogenous superoxide dismutase (SOD) or catalase did not modify isolated cat middle cerebral arterial basal tone. Catalase but not SOD reduced ACh relaxation. 2. H2O2 induced endothelium-independent relaxation which was abolished by catalase. 3. 3-Amino-1,2,4-triazole (AT) evoked endothelium-dependent contractions and diminished ACh relaxation. 4. Diethyldithio carbamic acid (DETC) induced endothelium-independent relaxation and did not modify ACh vasodilatation. 5. ACh relaxation of cat isolated pulmonary arteries was unaffected by SOD, catalase or AT, and diminished by DETC. 6. Endothelial catalase but neither SOD nor superoxide anions is involved in EDRF cerebral vasodilatation and H2O2 participates in ACh relaxation. In pulmonary arteries, only endothelial SOD activity plays a role.

Acetylcholine

Angiographic assessment of human coronary artery endothelial function by measurement of endothelium-dependent vasodilation.

In isolated atherosclerotic human coronary arteries endothelium-dependent vascular relaxation is abolished with acetylcholine whereas another EDRF-dependent vasodilator, substance P, still produces significant relaxation. To study further these in vitro findings, graded doses of acetylcholine and substance P, which produced no systemic effects, were infused into the left anterior descending artery of patients with angiographically moderate coronary artery disease. The effects of acetylcholine and substance P on LAD diameter were analysed by quantitative angiography. Generally, acetylcholine caused no relaxation but concentration-dependent contraction from 1.67 +/- 0.06 mm to 1.45 +/- 0.09 mm (P less than 0.01), whereas substance P dilated the arteries to 1.89 +/- 0.10 mm (P less than 0.01). In contrast, both drugs caused a marked increase in great cardiac vein oxygen saturation, indicating an increase of coronary flow. The results suggest that the failure of the atherosclerotic epicardial human coronary artery to vasodilate in response to acetylcholine represents a muscarinic endothelial defect. The preserved vasodilation with substance P in the presence of a refractoriness to acetylcholine suggests that atherosclerotic human coronary endothelial cells exposed to appropriate non-muscarinic stimuli are still capable to release EDRF and that atherosclerotic smooth muscle retains a responsive receptor mechanism for EDRF.

Acetylcholine

Developmental aspects of endothelial function.

We believe that the mechanisms through which nitric oxide and guanylate cyclase produce relaxation are fully functional in cerebral arteries at term in the fetal sheep and probably also in the term human infant. The relation between cGMP levels and the degree of relaxation varies both with age and with the relaxant used in a vessel specific manner. The factors underlying this variability constitute a fruitful area for future research and include possible age-related changes in membrane potential, calcium channel density and currents, and the participation of cGMP-independent mechanisms, to name only a few. Between fetal and newborn life, the biotransformation of nitroglycerin appears to improve significantly, particularly in the smaller more distal cerebral arteries. This improvement may be a clue to other important vascular metabolic and enzymatic changes that occur during the perinatal period. At the endothelial level, responses to A23187, an index of maximum endothelial vasodilator capacity, are relatively stable across the perinatal period and do not change consistently with age across all arteries. More importantly, large arteries, such as the common carotid, appear to relax better than the smaller cerebral arteries, and this difference is greater in fetal than in adult arteries. Responses to ADP disappear with age in the common carotid, but remain or even become enhanced in the cerebral arteries, thus illustrating the key role played by changes in receptor type and distribution in development and maturation.

Adenosine Diphosphate