title: Cytotoxicity of tumor necrosis factor-alpha for human umbilical vein endothelial cells.
abstract: Human umbilical vein endothelial cells were examined for sensitivity to killing by human recombinant tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). Treatment of the cells with concentrations of TNF-alpha up to 50 ng/ml for 18 hours did not produce evidence of cytotoxicity. However, a marked cytotoxic effect was found when TNF-alpha pretreated cells were incubated in Hanks' balanced salt solution for a further 4 hours. Exposure of the cells to heat-inactivated or antibody-neutralized TNF-alpha did not result in cytotoxicity. Human recombinant interleukin-1 also lysed endothelial cells under the same conditions, whereas human recombinant macrophage-colony stimulating factor did not. Inclusion of superoxide dismutase, catalase, or soybean trypsin inhibitor in the culture medium during the time of endothelial cell exposure to TNF-alpha had no protective effects. Likewise, allopurinol (a xanthine oxidase inhibitor) and nordihydro-guaiaretic acid (a lipoxygenase inhibitor) were not protective under the same conditions. In contrast, the ferric iron chelator deferoxamine mesylate and three different cyclooxygenase inhibitors provided significant protection against TNF-alpha induced cytotoxicity. When human dermal fibroblasts and human squamous epithelial cells were used in place of the umbilical vein endothelial cells, these cells were resistant to TNF-alpha mediated killing. These findings demonstrate that under the experimental conditions employed, TNF-alpha is cytotoxic for human umbilical vein endothelial cells. This may have implications in a number of in vivo situations in which TNF-alpha is thought to play a role.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology University of Michigan Medical School Ann Arbor.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Schuger
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Varani
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Marks
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Kunkel
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Ward
mesh_terms: D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000502:physiology; D012867:Skin / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014471:Umbilical Veins / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha