scholarly journals Endocardial endothelium as a blood-heart barrier

2018 ◽  
Vol 71 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 60-64
Author(s):  
Sonja Smiljic ◽  
Sladjana Savic ◽  
Zvezdan Milanovic ◽  
Goran Grujic

Introduction. Endocardial endothelium is formed from a single layer of closely related cells with complex interrelationships and extensive overlap at the junctional edges. Morphological characteristics of blood-heart barrier. Endocardium is composed of three layers: endocardial endothelium, subendothelial loose connective tissue and subendocardium. The fibrous component of the subendothelium consists of small amount of collagen and elastic fibers. Several cell types are present in subendocardium: telocytes, fibroblasts and nerve endings. Intercellular bonds between the endocardial endothelial cells. Endocardial endothelial cells are attached to one another via sets of binding proteins forming solid, adherent and communicating connections. Communicating connections form transmembrane channels between the neighboring cells, while solid and adherent connections form pericellular structures like stitches. The maintenance of the presumed transendocardial electrochemical potential difference provides a high gradient for certain ions as well as a selective boundary barrier, basal lamina, preventing ionic leakage. The negatively charged glycocalyx also modulates endothelial permeability. Electrophysiological characteristics of heart-blood barrier. Electrophysiological studies have shown the existence of a large number of membrane ion channels in the endocardial endothelial cells: inward rectifying K+ channels, Ca2+ dependent K+channels, voltage-dependent Cl-channels, volume-activated Cl-channels, stretch-activated cation channels and one carrier mediated transport mechanism - Na+K+adenosine triphosphatase. Conclusion. Numerous diseases of the cardiovascular system may be a consequence, but also the cause of the endocardial endothelium dysfunction. Selective damage to the endocardial endothelium and subendocardium is found in arrhythmia, atrial fibrillation, ischemia/reperfusion injury and heart failure. Typical lesions of endocardial and microvascular endothelium have also been described in sepsis, myocardial infarction, inflammation and thrombosis. The result of endothelial dysfunction is the weakening of the endothelial barrier regulation and electrolyte imbalance of the subendocardial interstitium.

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tobias Walker ◽  
Julian Siegel ◽  
Andrea Nolte ◽  
Silke Hartmann ◽  
Angela Kornberger ◽  
...  

Background. Adhesion molecules are known to influence postoperative organ function, they are hardly involved in the inflammatory response following the ischemia-reperfusion injury. We sought to investigate the potency of small interfering RNAs to suppress adhesion molecule expression in human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells.Methods. Human lung microvascular endothelial cells were transfected with specific siRNA followed by a stimulation of the cells with an inflammatory cytokine. Adhesion molecule expression was determined by FACS-analysis, and reduction of intracellular mRNA was determined by qRT-PCR. Furthermore, the attachment of isolated neutrophils on the endothelial layer was determined after siRNA transfection.Results. In summary, siRNA transfection significantly decreased the percentage positive cells in a single cocktail transfection of each adhesion molecule investigated. Adhering neutrophils were diminished as well.Conclusion. siRNA might be a promising tool for the effective suppression of adhesion molecule expression on pulmonary microvascular cells, potentially minimizing leukocyte-endothelial depending interactions of a pulmonary allograft.


1993 ◽  
Vol 265 (5) ◽  
pp. H1841-H1846 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Mebazaa ◽  
E. Mayoux ◽  
K. Maeda ◽  
L. D. Martin ◽  
E. G. Lakatta ◽  
...  

Endocardial endothelium is reported to modulate myocardial contraction by releasing diffusible factors, but the nature of the agent(s) responsible is unknown. In the present study we investigated the potential role of endothelin in these effects. Cultured sheep endocardial endothelial cells were found to express endothelin-1 mRNA and to release endothelin-1 into superfusing solution. This superfusate induced positive inotropic effects in isolated rat cardiac myocytes, associated with an increase in the cytosolic Ca2+ transient. Similar positive inotropic effects were induced by vascular endothelial cell superfusate as well as by synthesized endothelin-1, administered at concentrations similar to those present in the superfusate. Incubation of endocardial endothelial cell superfusate with endothelin-1-specific antiserum reduced the free endothelin-1 concentration to undetectable levels and abolished both the positive inotropic effect and the rise in cytosolic Ca2+. These findings indicate that endocardial endothelial cells may modulate myocardial contraction in part through the release of endothelin-1 and suggest that endocardial as well as vascular endothelium could exert potent paracrine effects on myocardium.


1997 ◽  
Vol 272 (4) ◽  
pp. H1770-H1779 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Fransen ◽  
S. U. Sys

The conventional whole cell patch-clamp technique was used to measure the resting membrane conductance and membrane currents of single, nonstimulated, cultured endocardial endothelial cells of the porcine right ventricle in different ionic conditions. All cells displayed the barium-sensitive, inwardly rectifying potassium (K+) current (I(Ki)). In 65% of the cells, I(Ki) was the predominant membrane current. The mean zero-current potential (V0) was -61.0 +/- 12.5 mV (+/- SD, n = 45). In 35% of the cells, I(Ki) was superposed on an outwardly rectifying (OR) current. V0 of these cells was more depolarized (-33.5 +/- 22.0 mV, n = 26). High intracellular Cl- (122 instead of 52 mmol/l) activated or increased the OR current and shifted V0 in the direction of the equilibrium potential for Cl-. In cells displaying the OR current, V0 was dependent on extracellular Cl-, indicating the contribution of an OR Cl- current in setting V0. At low intracellular Cl- (6 instead of 52 mmol/l), the OR current was decreased and V0 shifted in the direction of the equilibrium potential for K+. In cells not displaying the OR current, V0 was dependent on extracellular K+ but not on Cl-, indicating major permeability to K+ in these conditions. Block of the OR current by the Cl(-)-channel blockers anthracene-9-carboxylic acid (1 mmol/l), flufenamic acid (100-500 micromol/l), and Zn2+ (100-200 micromol/l) provided further evidence for the anionic nature of the OR current. After inhibition of I(Ki) and the OR Cl- current, a third current component was observed in 50% of the cells. The pharmacology and voltage dependence of this current suggested the presence of Ca2+-activated K+ channels in endocardial endothelial cells. We concluded that the resting membrane conductance of nonstimulated endocardial endothelial cells is mainly determined by the combined activity of inwardly rectifying K+, OR Cl-, and Ca2+-activated K+ channels.


2012 ◽  
Vol 82 (4) ◽  
pp. 267-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zahide Cavdar ◽  
Mehtap Y. Egrilmez ◽  
Zekiye S. Altun ◽  
Nur Arslan ◽  
Nilgun Yener ◽  
...  

The main pathophysiology in cerebral ischemia is the structural alteration in the neurovascular unit, coinciding with neurovascular matrix degradation. Among the human matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), MMP-2 and -9, known as gelatinases, are the key enzymes for degrading type IV collagen, which is the major component of the basal membrane that surrounds the cerebral blood vessel. In the present study, we investigated the effects of resveratrol on cytotoxicity, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and gelatinases (MMP-2 and -9) in human cerebral microvascular endothelial cells exposed to 6 hours of oxygen-glucose deprivation and a subsequent 24 hours of reoxygenation with glucose (OGD/R), to mimic ischemia/reperfusion in vivo. Lactate dehydrogenase increased significantly, in comparison to that in the normoxia group. ROS was markedly increased in the OGD/R group, compared to normoxia. Correspondingly, ROS was significantly reduced with 50 μM of resveratrol. The proMMP-2 activity in the OGD/R group showed a statistically significant increase from the control cells. Resveratrol preconditioning decreased significantly the proMMP-2 in the cells exposed to OGD/R in comparison to that in the OGD/R group. Our results indicate that resveratrol regulates MMP-2 activity induced by OGD/R via its antioxidant effect, implying a possible mechanism related to the neuroprotective effect of resveratrol.


2014 ◽  
Vol 92 (4) ◽  
pp. 338-349 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kiranj K. Chaudagar ◽  
Anita A. Mehta

Atorvastatin, a lipid lowering agent, possesses various pleiotropic vasculoprotective effects, but its role in coronary angiogenesis is still controversial. Our objective was to study the effects of atorvastatin on the angiogenic responsiveness of coronary endothelial cells (cEC) from normal and diabetic rats. Male Wistar rats were distributed among 9 groups; (i) normal rats, (ii) 30 day diabetic rats, (iii) 60 day diabetic rats, (iv) normal rats administered a low dose of atorvastatin (1 mg/kg body mass, per oral (p.o.), for 15 days); (v) 30 day diabetic rats administered a low dose of atorvastatin; (vi) 60 day diabetic rats administered a low dose of atorvastatin; (vii) normal rats administered a high dose of atorvastatin (5 mg/kg, p.o., for 15 days); (viii) 30 day diabetic rats administered a high dose of atorvastatin; (ix) 60 day diabetic rats administered a high dose of atorvastatin. Each group was further divided into 2 subgroups, (i) sham ischemia–reperfusion and (ii) rats hearts that underwent ischemia–reperfusion. Angiogenic responsiveness the and nitric oxide (NO) releasing properties of the subgroups of cECs were studied using a chorioallantoic membrane assay and the Griess method, respectively. Atorvastatin treatment significantly increased VEGF-induced angiogenic responsiveness and the NO-releasing properties of cECs from all of the subgroups, compared with their respective non-treated subgroups except for the late-phase diabetic rat hearts that underwent ischemia–reperfusion, and the high dose of atorvastatin treatment groups. These effects of atorvastatin were significantly inhibited by pretreatment of cECs with l-NAME, wortmannin, and chelerythrine. Thus, treatment with a low dose of atorvastatin improves the angiogenic responsiveness of the cECs from normal and diabetic rats, in the presence of VEGF, via activation of eNOS–NO release.


1992 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 293-298 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlton Young ◽  
Bruce E. Jarrell ◽  
James B. Hoying ◽  
Stuart K. Williams

The transplantation of endothelial cells represents a technology which has been suggested for applications ranging from improvement in function of implanted vascular devices to genetic therapy. The use of microvascular endothelial cell transplantation has seen increased use both in animal studies as well as clinical use. This report describes our techniques for the isolation and establishment of initial cultures of microvascular endothelial cells derived from porcine fat. A variety of anatomic sites within the pig were evaluated to determine the appropriateness of different sources of fat for endothelial cell isolation. The properitoneal fat was determined to be optimal due to the predominance of endothelium in this tissue and the ease of isolation of microvascular endothelium following collagenase digestion. The study of endothelial cell transplantation in the porcine model is now possible using the methods described for adipose tissue-derived micro vessel endothelial cell isolation.


2010 ◽  
Vol 113 (3) ◽  
pp. 622-629 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Marc Simard ◽  
Kristopher T. Kahle ◽  
Volodymyr Gerzanich

Microvascular failure largely underlies the damaging secondary events that accompany traumatic brain injury (TBI). Changes in capillary permeability result in the extravasation of extracellular fluid, inflammatory cells, and blood, thereby producing cerebral edema, inflammation, and progressive secondary hemorrhage (PSH). Recent work in rat models of TBI and stroke have implicated 2 ion transport proteins expressed in brain endothelial cells as critical mediators of edema formation: the constitutively expressed Na+-K+-2Cl– cotransporter, NKCC1, and the trauma/ischemia-induced SUR1-regulated NCCa-ATP (SUR1/TRPM4) channel. Whereas NKCC1 function requires adenosine 5′-triphosphate (ATP), activation of SUR1/TRPM4 occurs only after ATP depletion. This opposite dependence on intracellular ATP levels implies that one or the other mechanism will activate/deactivate as ATP concentrations rise and fall during periods of ischemia/reperfusion, resulting in continuous edema formation regardless of cellular energy status. Moreover, with critical ATP depletion, sustained opening of SUR1/TRPM4 channels results in the oncotic death of endothelial cells, leading to capillary fragmentation and PSH. Bumetanide and glibenclamide are 2 well-characterized, safe, FDA-approved drugs that inhibit NKCC1 and the SUR1/TRPM4 channel, respectively. When used alone, these drugs have provided documented beneficial effects in animal models of TBI- and ischemiaassociated cerebral edema and PSH. Given the mechanistic and temporal differences by which NKCC1 and the SUR1/TRPM4 channel contribute to the pathophysiological mechanisms of these events, combination therapy with bumetanide and glibenclamide may yield critical synergy in preventing injury-associated capillary failure.


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