Cellular Expression of Isoforms of Endothelin-Converting Enzyme-1 (ECE-1c, ECE-1b and ECE-1a) and Endothelin-Converting Enzyme-2
- 1 January 2000
- journal article
- endothelins and-endothelin-converting-enzymes
- Published by Wolters Kluwer Health in Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology
- Vol. 36 (Supplement) , S12-S14
- https://doi.org/10.1097/00005344-200036051-00006
Abstract
Our aim was to compare the cellular expression of endothelin-converting enzyme-1 (ECE-1) isoforms and ECE-2 using immunocytochemistry in normal and diseased human tissue. Intense ECE-1b immunoreactivity was present within renal and pulmonary epithelial cells with lower levels of staining displayed by ECE-1c, ECE-1a and ECE-2 antisera. Staining was detected with all antisera (except ECE-1a) within the endothelium of renal and pulmonary vessels having a range of lumen diameters as well as pial arteries and intracerebral vessels penetrating brain. ECE-1b, ECE-1c and ECE-2 immunoreactivity was localized to perivascular astrocytes and neuronal processes in the cerebral cortex. In diseased vessels, ECE-1c, ECE-1b and ECE-2 antisera stained macrophages infiltrating atherosclerotic plaques within coronary arteries. These results suggest ECE-1b and ECE-2 may be widely expressed in normal tissue from humans and inhibition of ECE-1 isoforms and ECE-2 expressed by cells such as macrophages in pathophysiological tissue may be an additional therapeutic target in cardiovascular disease.Keywords
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