title: [Pericardial endothelin secretion in patients underwent open heart surgery.].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate pericardial endothelin (ET) secretion by the human pericardial mesothelial cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  Plasma, pericardial fluid and pericardial tissue were obtained in 51 patients receiving open heart surgery (coronary artery bypass grafting, elective heart valvuloplasty or valve replacement). ET concentrations in the plasma, pericardial fluid and pericardial tissues were measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA). ET mRNA expression in the human pericardium was detected by in situ hybridization.
  
  
  RESULTS
  (1) The levels of ET in human pericardial fluid was significantly higher than that in the plasma [(128.8 +/- 44.0) ng/L vs. (93.7 +/- 28.6) ng/L, P < 0.001]; (2) ET concentration in the pericardial tissue was (510.3 +/- 156.7) ng/kg; (3) In situ hybridization technique evidenced the abundant ET mRNA expression in human pericardial mesothelial cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study indicated that pericardium secreted ET into the pericardial space.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hypertension Research, Beijing Anzhen Hospital of Capital Medical University, Beijing Institute of Heart, Lung & Blood Vessel Diseases, Beijing 100029, China.
authors.forename: Jie-Lin
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ya
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Zuo-Guang
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: Shi-Qi
authors.initials: SQ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xin-Jun
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ya-Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Wei-Jun
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Shao-Jun
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Wen
mesh_terms: D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D016232:Endothelins; D006801:Humans; D010490:Pericardial Effusion; D010496:Pericardium
chemical_list: D019332:Endothelin-1; D016232:Endothelins