[Pericardial endothelin secretion in patients underwent open heart surgery.].
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.
Liu
Jie-Lin
JL
Department of Hypertension Research, Beijing Anzhen Hospital of Capital Medical University, Beijing Institute of Heart, Lung & Blood Vessel Diseases, Beijing 100029, China.
Liu
Ya
Y
Wang
Zuo-Guang
ZG
Wen
Jie
J
Wang
Shi-Qi
SQ
Chen
Xin-Jun
XJ
Liu
Ya-Ping
YP
Zhang
Wei-Jun
WJ
Wen
Shao-Jun
SJ
D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D016232:Endothelins; D006801:Humans; D010490:Pericardial Effusion; D010496:Pericardium
D019332:Endothelin-1; D016232:Endothelins