Effect of lipopolysaccharide on viability and secretion function of human umbilical vein endothelial cells

AIM: To observe the direct effect of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on secretion of endothelin-1(ET-1) and nitric oxide by human umbilical vein endothelial cell and cell viability of the secretor. METHODS: The third passage of human umbilical vein endothelial cells were incubated with different concentrations of LPS(1 g/L, 100 mg/L, 10 mg/L, 1 mg/L, 100 μg/L, 10 μg/L, 1 μg/L) for 6 hours, and the culture supernatants were collected. The concentrations of ET-1 were determined by radioimmunoassay, the concentrations of nitric oxide were determined using Greiss's method. The viabilities of cells were measured by MTT method. RESULTS: The concentration of ET-1 (pg/L) of normal control group was 251 64±10 90. The concentrations of ET-1(pg/L) of LPS treated groups were 220 85±19 14, 278 67±15 45, 306 40±11 60, 312 87±33 50, 324 38±17 02, 291 49±14 30, 282 11±13 38, respectively. (each group compared with normal control group, P0.05 or P0.01 ). The concentration of NO x (μmol/L) of normal control group was 629 46±13 36. The concentrations of NO x(μmol/L)of LPS treated groups were 732 58±23 21, 669 87±9 32,661 24±16 80, 650 33±13 24, 606 59±12 94, 626 75±9 83, 627 61±5 61,respectively(each group compared with normal control group, P0 05 or P0 01 ). The viabilities of endothelial cells of LPS treated groups were 74%, 81%, 86%, 88%,91%, 93%, 93%, respectively. CONCLUSION: LPS of lower concentrations had no significantly lethal effect on human umbilical vein endothelial cells, but enhanced secretion of ET-1 and inhibited NO production. LPS in higher concentrations showed significant lethal effect on human umbilical vein endothelial cells, inhibited secretion of ET-1 and enhanced NO production. [