Endothelium-leukocyte interactions under the influence of the superoxide-nitrogen monoxide system.

Background: The production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species contributes to the development of vascular injury and inflammation. The present study was focused on neutrophil adhesion to monolayers of primary endothelial cells in the presence of NO donors, a superoxide anion producing system (hypoxanthine-xanthine oxidase, HX-XO) and peroxynitrite under static conditions.

Material/methods: Phase contrast and scanning electron microscopy was used to study endothelial monolayer integrity.

[Induction of cell adhesion molecules, E-selectin, VCAM-1 and ICAM-1, in a co-culture of human endothelial and smooth muscle cells].

Using immunofluorescence and flow cytometry, we studied the surface expression of cell adhesion molecules, E-selectin, VCAM-1 and ICAM-1, in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) co-cultured with human aortic intimal smooth muscle cells (SMC). It was found that inactivated HUVEC constitutively expressed only ICAM-1. After 3-4 h of co-culturing with SMC in the Transwell system we observed the appearance of E-selectin and VCAM-1, and the increase of ICAM-1 content on the cell surface.

[Morphologic and functional characterization of human aortic endothelium. III. Growth in culture and colony formation at low seeding density].

In human aortic endothelial cell (HAEC) cultures, obtained separately from aortic zones of low (LP) and high (HP) probability of atherosclerosis, proliferative characteristics of cells and HAEC ability to form colonies at clonal seeding density were studied. It has been found that the population doubling time is significantly higher in endothelial cell (EC) cultures from HP-zones, compared to that in cultures from LP-zones of the same vessels. In cultures from both LP- and HP-zones only a few percent of EC had a proliferative potential enough to form cell colonies.

Use of enzyme label for quantitative evaluation of liposome adhesion on cell surface: studies with J774 macrophage monolayers.

A method for quantitation of cell surface-bound liposomes utilizing J774 macrophage monolayers is developed. Surface-bound biotinyl-containing and 125I-labeled liposomes were quantified with avidin-peroxidase in an ELISA-like assay. Peroxidase substrate absorbance values were recalculated into the absolute amount of liposomal lipid using a special calibration plot.

[Interaction of liposomes with a varying lipid composition with hepatocytes in vitro].

Interaction of liposomes from egg lecithin, phospholipids and gangliosides of rat liver with rat hepatocyte monolayers was investigated. It was shown that liposomes from phospho- and glycolipids of the liver were bound by rat hepatocytes to a far greater degree than lecithin liposomes. Liver gangliosides increased active endocytosis of liposomes by hepatocytes.