This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Cho, M. M. Articles by Gorodeski, G. I. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Cho, M. M. Articles by Ziats, N. P. Articles by Abdul-Karim, F. W. Articles by Pal, D. Articles by Goldfarb, J. Articles by Utian, W. H. Articles by Gorodeski, G. I. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Effects of Estrogen on Tight Junctional Resistance in Cultured Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells

Departments of Reproductive Biology, Pathology, and Physiology and Biophysic, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. Cleverand, Ohio; Department of Ob-Gyn, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, USC/LAC, Women's and Children's Hospital, Room IM2, 1240 North Mission Road, Los Angeles. CA 90033

Nicholas P. Ziats, PhD

Fadi W. Abdul-Karim, MD

Dipika Pal, BS

James Goldfarb, MD

Wulf H. Utian, MD, PhD

Departments of Reproductive Biology, Pathology, and Physiology and Biophysic, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleverand, Ohio

George I. Gorodeski, MD, PhD

Departments of Reproductive Biology, Pathology. and Physiology and Biophysic, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleverand, Ohio; University MacDonald Women's Hospital, University Hospitals of Cleveland, 11100 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106 gig{at}po.cwru.edu

Objective: To study the effects of estrogen on transendothelial paracellular permeability in women.

Methods: Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) obtained from women were grown on filters. The paracellular permeability characteristics were determined in terms of changes in the prmeability to the polar acid pyranine (P_pyr) and as changes in the transendothelial electrical resistance (R_TE). Tight junctional resistance characteristics were assayed by lowering luminal NaCl and measuring the dilution potential, and were expressed as the ratio of monion mobility u_Cl/u_Na (cation selectivity).

Results: Low extracellular calcium and hyperosmolarity increased P_pyr and decreased R_TE. The former but not the latter condition abolished the endothelium-specific cation selectivity. Treatment with 10 nM of estradiol-17ß had no effect on R_TE, but it increased the cation selectivity. The effect of estradiol required 1-6 hours' incubation with the hormone; it was dose dependent and saturable, with a median effective concentration of estradiol of 1 nM. Diethylstilbestrol, but not estriol, could mimic the effect of estradiol, and the estrogen rectpro antagonist ICI-182,780 blocked it.

Conclusion: Cultured HUVEC cells from patent tight junctions. Estrogens increase the cation selectivity across HUVEC cultures. The effect of estrogen may be mediated by an estrogen receptor. These effects may be important for vasculoprotection in cases of sudden changes in ions levels across the capillary wall, such as ischemia or reperfusion.

Key Words: Tight junctions • paracellular permeability • sex hormones • microcirculation

Journal of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation, Vol. 5, No. 5, 260-270 (1998)
DOI: 10.1177/107155769800500507


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?