Effect of pH and glucose on cultured human peritoneal mesothelial cells

Objective: We investigated the effects of various pH and glucose concentrat ions on the growth of human peritoneal mesothelial cells and on coagulation and fibrinolytic factors. Materials and methods. Cells were cultured at va rious pH values in Ham's F-12 medium containing 1.0% foetal calf serum and supplemented with D-glucose or D-mannitol at various concentrations. After Ws h, cell proliferation and H-3-thymidine incorporation were determined. C oagulation and fibrinolytic factors were measured after 48 h. Results: Gluc ose caused concentration-dependent inhibition of cell growth at all pH valu es, but the deleterious effect of low pH on cell proliferation was faster a nd stronger than that of high glucose. At a similar osmolality, mannitol ca used less inhibition of cell proliferation than glucose. There was a glucos e concentration-dependent increase of thrombin-antithrombin III complex pro duction at all pH values. At pH 5.2, tissue-type plasminogen activator prod uction was far lower than at higher pH values, and production of the plasmi nogen activator inhibitor showed a glucose concentration-dependent increase . At pH 6.5 or 7.3, however, the plasminogen activator inhibitor production decreased and tissue-type plasminogen activator production increased in a glucose concentration-dependent manner. Conclusions. Low pH and/or high glu cose culture medium had an inhibitory effect on peritoneal mesothelial cell s, with the effect of high glucose being partially related to hyperosmolali ty. These cells may modulate peritoneal coagulant and fibrinolytic activity , with the balance between coagulation and fibrinolysis being disturbed by low pH and/or high glucose.