title: Alpha-tocopherol inhibits agonist-induced monocytic cell adhesion to cultured human endothelial cells.
abstract: Antioxidants have been proposed to be anti-atherosclerotic agents; however, the mechanisms underlying their beneficial effects are poorly understood. We have examined the effect of alpha-tocopherol (alpha-tcp) on one cellular event in atherosclerotic plaque development, monocyte adhesion to stimulated endothelial cells (ECs). Human umbilical vein ECs were pretreated with alpha-tcp before stimulation with known agonists of monocyte adhesion: IL-1 (10 ng/ml), LPS (10 ng/ml), thrombin (30 U/ml), or PMA (10 nM). Agonist-induced monocytic cell adhesion, but not basal adhesion, was inhibited in a time- and concentration-dependent manner by alpha-tcp. The IC50 of alpha-tcp on an IL-1-induced response was 45 microM. The inhibition correlated with a decrease in steady state levels of E-selectin mRNA and cell surface expression of E-selectin which is consistent with the ability of a monoclonal antibody to E-selectin to inhibit monocytic cell adhesion in this system. Probucol (50 microM) and N-acetylcysteine (20 mM) also inhibited agonist-induced monocytic cell adhesion; whereas, several other antioxidants had no significant effect. Protein kinase C (PKC) does not appear to play a role in the alpha-tcp effect since no suppression of phosphorylation of PKC substrates was observed. Activation of the transcription factor NF-kappa B is reported to be necessary but not sufficient for E-selectin expression in EC. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays failed to show an alpha-tcp-induced decrease in activation of this transcription factor after cytokine stimulation. It has been hypothesized that alpha-tcp acts as an anti-atherosclerotic molecule by inhibiting generation of oxidized LDL--a putative triggering molecule in the atherosclerotic process. Our results point to a novel alternative mechanism of action of alpha-tcp.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Ohio 44195.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Faruqi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: de la Motte
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: DiCorleto
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019040:E-Selectin; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000494:pharmacology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009000:Monocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D019040:E-Selectin; D007375:Interleukin-1; D016328:NF-kappa B; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014810:Vitamin E; D011493:Protein Kinase C