title: Effect of propionyl-L-carnitine on human endothelial cells.
abstract: A possible protective effect of propionyl-L-carnitine on human endothelial cells was studied both under basal culture conditions and in the presence of agents capable of influencing oxidative damage, such as glucose/glucose oxidase and oxidized low-density lipoproteins. Propionyl-L-carnitine had no significant effect on the observed decline in various parameters of cell viability, e.g., cell detachment, release of lactate dehydrogenase, and the rate of protein synthesis. Propionyl-L-carnitine progressively decreased the fluorescence intensity in fura-2-loaded endothelial cells obtained during excitation at 340 nm. A similar effect was observed with propionyl-L-carnitine and acetyl-L-carnitine, but not with L-carnitine and D-carnitine. These results suggest that propionyl-L-carnitine and acetyl-L-carnitine decrease the cytoplasmic calcium level in endothelial cells.
authors.affiliation: Gaubius Institute TNO, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: V W
authors.initials: VW
authors.lastname: van Hinsbergh
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Scheffer
mesh_terms: D000108:Acetylcarnitine / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002331:Carnitine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; C003223:propionylcarnitine; D000108:Acetylcarnitine; D002331:Carnitine; D002118:Calcium