AORTIC ENDOTHELIAL-CELL DAMAGE INDUCED BY BETA-VLDL AND MACROPHAGES INVITRO

We performed an in vitro study to assess damage to swine aortic endothelial cells by rabbit beta-VLDL and/or rabbit peritoneal macrophages. Incubation of cultured aortic endothelial cells with beta-VLDL, macrophages, or macrophage lysate induced endothelial cell damage time- and dose-dependently as estimated by [H-3]adenine release. Incubation of endothelial cells with both beta-VLDL and macrophages produced a synergistic effect on the increase of [H-3]adenine release. Pretreatment of the endothelial cells with some kinds of antioxidants (probucol 560-mu-g/ml, vitamin E 50-mu-M, superoxide dismutase-polyethylene glycol 0.5 mg/ml, or catalase-polyethylene glycol 0.5-1.0 mg/ml) significantly prevented the endothelial damage by beta-VLDL or macrophage lysate. We conclude that beta-VLDL and/or macrophages could induce endothelial cell damage and that some kinds of antioxidants could prevent it.