INVITRO CORRELATES OF ENDOTHELIAL INJURY AND REPAIR

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 46  (1) , 1-9
Abstract
The effects of immune complexes, microbial components and glomerular basement membrane on cultured human umbilical endothelial cells were assessed in vitro using phase contrast microscopy, cell counts, 51Cr release and terminal 3H-thymidine-labeling assays. Neither heat-aggregated IgG nor bovine serum albumin-antibovine serum albumin immune complexes altered endothelial cell growth as measured by cell counts, thymidine labeling and phase contrast microscopy; nor did immune complexes induce cytotoxicity as measured by 51Cr release. Some microbial components appeared cytotoxic to endothelial cells, other microbial components had no effect and 1, clostridial neuraminidase, induced proliferation of endothelial cells as measured by phase contrast microscopy, cell counts and thymidine labeling. Native and glycosidase-altered glomerular basement membrane also enhanced endothelial cell thymidine labeling. Apparently, microbial components directly alter endothelial cell growth in vitro; immune complexes by themselves do not. Thus, in vivo microbial components by themselves may directly affect endothelial cells and cause vascular pathology; immune complexes presumably must recruit other inflammatory systems to affect endothelial cells. Alterations of basement membrane during inflammation may also affect endothelial growth and, thus, vascular pathology.