title: Ultrastructural localisation of nitric oxide synthase, endothelin and binding sites of lectin (from Bandeirea simplicifolia) in the rat carotid artery after balloon catheter injury.
abstract: An immunocytochemical and cytochemical study has been made on the ultrastructural localisation of type III (endothelial) nitric oxide synthase, endothelin-1 and the binding sites of lectin from Bandeirea simplicifolia to the endothelium surface-associated glycoproteins in the rat left common carotid artery at 1 and 28 d after Fogarty embolectomy balloon catheter-induced injury. Controls were carotid arteries from sham operated rats. In the controls, the immunoreactivity to nitric oxide synthase-III and endothelin-1 was localised in different proportions in vascular endothelial cells (36.9% +/- 4.3 and 7.6% +/- 2.7, respectively); immunoreactivity was confined to the cytoplasm and the membranes of intracellular organelles and structures. In contrast, staining with lectin was localised on the luminal surface of all endothelial cells. 1 d after injury, platelets were adherent to the endothelium-denuded intima. Some of the platelets displayed, immunoreactivity to nitric oxide synthase-III and endothelin-1 and were stained with lectin. 28 d after injury, a neointimal thickening of substantial size was present. Subpopulations of the regrown endothelial cells covering the luminal surface of the neointima showed positive immunoreactivity to nitric oxide synthase-III and endothelin-1 but there was a significant decrease in the proportion of nitric oxide synthase-III-containing endothelial cells (17.2% +/- 1.9; P < 0.001) and a significant increase in the proportion of endothelin-1-containing endothelial cells (36.9% +/- 4.7; P < 0.001) compared with the controls. Staining with lectin was associated with the cell membrane of all endothelial cells and in addition with cells located 'deeper' in the neointima which showed lectin-positive plasmalemma, Golgi complex and multivesicular bodies/lysosomes. In conclusion, regenerated endothelial cells of the neointima showed reduced population (2-fold) of nitric oxide synthase-III-and increased population (5-fold) endothelin-1-positive cells. The subendothelial location of some lectin-stained cells after balloon catheter injury indicates the heterogeneity of the neointima and suggests that some of these cells are involved in early angiogenesis. 24 h and 28 d after injury some platelets showed positive immunoreactivity for nitric oxide synthase-III and endothelin-1.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, University College London, UK.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Loesch
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Milner
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Anglin
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Crowe
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Miah
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: McEwan
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Burnstock
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001665:Binding Sites; D020212:Carotid Artery Injuries; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology; D002404:Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000032:analysis*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology / Q000293:injuries; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D037102:Lectins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000032:analysis*; D037121:Plant Lectins; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology / Q000293:injuries*
chemical_list: D019332:Endothelin-1; C045475:Griffonia simplicifolia lectins; D037102:Lectins; D037121:Plant Lectins; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase