title: Spontaneous endothelin production by circulating mononuclear cells from patients with chronic heart failure but not from normal subjects.
abstract: 1. Plasma endothelin-1 (ET-1) levels are increased in chronic heart failure (CHF). Because chronic immunologic activation occurs in CHF and mononuclear cells (MNC) are capable of ET-1 production, the possible contribution of circulating MNC to the increased plasma ET-1 levels in CHF patients was investigated. 2. Unseparated MNC (10(7)/mL) from eight CHF patients spontaneously produced ET-1 (1.54 +/- 0.37 pg/100 mL). After separation of MNC into monocytes (10(6)/mL) and lymphocytes (10(7)/mL) at ratios approximating those in the circulationg, ET-1 was spontaneously produced by CHF lymphocytes (0.81 +/- 0.26 pg/100 mL), and after macrophage colony stimulating factor (MCSF) stimulation by CHF monocytes (0.56 +/- 0.08 pg/100 mL). In contrast, there was neither spontaneous nor MCSF-induced production of ET-1 in six normal subjects. 3. It was concluded that heightened ET-1 production by MNC may contribute to increased plasma levels in CHF patients. Because unseparated MNC produced greater ET-1 than lymphocytes and monocytes separately, contact between these MNC subtypes may be necessary for maximal ET-1 production.
authors.affiliation: Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Krum
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Itescu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016232:Endothelins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D016232:Endothelins