USE OF A HUMAN MICROVASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL-CELL LINE AS A MODEL SYSTEM TO EVALUATE CHOLESTEROL UPTAKE

CDC/EU.HMEC-1 (HMEC-1) cells provide a reliable source of human microv ascular endothelial cells free of mycoplasma and viral infection. This cell line has potential for use in the further study of the endotheli al cell modification of low-density lipoproteins and for anticholester ol drug evaluation assays. HMEC-1 cells will fill a gap that is presen t for in vitro investigations of cholesterol metabolism in conjunction with previously established hepatic, monocytic, or macrophage cell li nes. This paper presents a simple assay that demonstrates a linear upt ake of tritiated cholesterol by he HMEC-1 cells and shows that the cel lular cholesterol load can be regulated using anticholesterol drugs.