Heterogeneity of vascular endothelial cells: Differences in susceptibilityto neutrophil-mediated injury

Vascular endothelial cells are key participants in the development of infla mmatory-mediated tissue injury. Not all tissues have the same response to i nflammation and the role of vascular endothelial cells in this response is unclear. The objective of this study was to compare cultured primary endoth elial cells derived from a variety of microvascular and macrovascular sourc es within the same species, rat. We developed and compared primary cultures of endothelial cells from dermis, kidney and lung microvasculature, pulmon ary artery and vein, renal artery and vein, and aorta. Endothelial cells we re similar in their growth characteristics, ability to take up DiI-Ac-LDL, and expression of ICAM-1, regardless of their site of origin. In contrast, susceptibility to injury by PMA-activated neutrophils differed markedly amo ng cells from different tissues as well as between microvascular and macrov ascular endothelial cells from the same tissue. This study demonstrated tha t while endothelial cells maintain some fundamental characteristics regardl ess of their origin, clear site-specific differences are evident in the sen sitivity of endothelial cells to injury mediated by activated neutrophils. (C) 1998 Academic Press.