mTOR inhibitors and calcineurin inhibitors do not affect adhesion molecule expression of human macro- and microvascular endothelial cells.

We examined the effect of cyclosporin A, tacrolimus, sirolimus and everolimus on the cell growth, viability, proliferation, expression of cellular adhesion molecules (CAM) and leukocyte (PBMC) binding of human macrovascular (coronary artery, saphenous vein) and microvascular endothelial cells (EC). Tacrolimus did not affect EC integrity, growth or expression of CAM. Exclusively, EC from the coronary arteries showed a reduced cellular growth (about 30%) under cyclosporin A and tacrolimus treatment.

A prospective cross-over study comparing the pharmacokinetics of cyclosporine A and its metabolites after oral versus short-time intravenous cyclosporine A administration in pre-heart transplant patients.

Sometimes intravenous administration of cyclosporine (CsA) is essential before oral administration is possible. There are only a few reports available on the interindividual variability of CsA metabolism and different metabolite pattern depending on intravenous versus oral administration of CsA in heart transplant (HTx) patients. For effective inhibition of calcineurin we used a short infusion reaching peak concentrations after 2 hours.

Impact of diabetic serum on endothelial cells: an in-vitro-analysis of endothelial dysfunction in diabetes mellitus type 2.

Diabetic endothelial dysfunction was characterized by altered levels of adhesion molecules and cytokines. Aim of our study was to evaluate the effects of diabetic serum on cell-growth and proinflammatory markers in human saphenous vein endothelial cells (HSVEC) from diabetic and non-diabetic patients. Diabetic serum showed (1) complementary proliferative activity for non-diabetic and diabetic HSVEC, (2) unchanged surface expression of adhesion molecules, and (3) elevated levels of sICAM-1 in HSVEC of all donors.

Endothelial cell dysfunction after coronary artery bypass grafting with extracorporeal circulation in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Objective: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a well-known risk factor in patients with severe coronary artery disease undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The aim of the study was to analyze the endothelial dysfunction in these patients by evaluating postoperative soluble inflammatory cytokines.

Methods: Patients undergoing CABG without (n=15, group A) and with (n=14, group B) diabetes mellitus were analyzed for their release of E-selectin, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) up to 3 days postoperatively.

Hyperglycemia increases the levels of vascular cellular adhesion molecule-1 and monocyte-chemoattractant-protein-1 in the diabetic endothelial cell.

Hyperglycemia is the major cause of diabetic angiopathy. Aim of our study was to evaluate the impact of high glucose on cell growth and function of human "diabetic" endothelial cells (EC). Incubation of non-diabetic EC with glucose moderately inhibited cell growth and increased the expression of ICAM-1 and E-selectin.