Affiliations: First Department of Internal Medicine, Kyoto
Prefectural University of Medicine, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto
602-8566, Japan | Department of Biochemistry, Kyoto Prefectural
University of Medicine, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto 602-8566,
Japan
Note: [] First Department of Internal Medicine, Kyoto Prefectural
University of Medicine, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto 602-8566,
Japan. Tel.: +81 75 251 5505; Fax: +81 75 252 3721; E-mail:
nyoshida@koto.kpu-m.ac.jp
Abstract: Leukocyte-endothelial cell interactions, which are mediated by
various adhesion molecules, are a crucial event in inflammatory reactions
including atherosclerosis. \alpha-Tocopherol
(\alpha-Toc) has been used for protection and therapy of
vascular diseases because of its antioxidant activity. The objective of the
present study was to determine effect of \alpha-Toc on
endothelial-dependent adhesive interactions with leukocytes elicited by
oxidized low density lipoprotein (oxLDL). Incubation of HUVEC with oxLDL (100
\mug/mL) increased expression of proteins and messenger RNA
of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion
molecule-1 (VCAM-1) on enzyme immunoassay and northern blotting assay;
pretreatment with \alpha-Toc reduced in a dose dependent
manner. Adherence of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) or mononuclear
leukocytes (MNC) to oxLDL-activated HUVEC was much increased compared with that
to unstimulated HUVEC. Treatment of HUVEC with \alpha-Toc,
monoclonal antibody to ICAM-1 or VCAM-1 inhibited adherence of PMN or MNC in a
dose dependent manner. These results suggest that \alpha-Toc
works as anti-atherogenic agent through inhibiting endothelial-dependent
adhesive interactions with leukocytes induced by oxLDL.
