Effect of pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A on the function of endothelial cells / 中南大学学报(医学版)

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE@#To determine the effect of pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) on the function of vascular endothelial cells (VEC).@*METHODS@#Human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) line, derived from human umbilical vein, was cultured in vitro with PAPP-A at 0, 50, 100, and 200 ng/mL for 0, 12, 24, and 48 hours, respectively. Nitric oxide (NO) levels and endothlin-1 (ET-1) levels were determined by spectrophotometer and immunehistory.@*RESULTS@#The NO levels of HUVECs in the PAPP-A groups were significantly lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). The ET-1 levels of HUVECs in the PAPP-A groups were significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). The changes were all dose-dependent.@*CONCLUSION@#PAPP-A may affect the function of vascular endothelial cells by reducing the secretion of NO and increasing the level of ET-1.