OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effects of microparticles (Mps) from different people on the vascular endothelial cell function.

METHODS

Third generation human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were cultured with Mps-containing plasma samples from 5 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients undergoing heavy steroid treatment, 5 patients with steroid-induced avascular necrosis of femoral head (ANFH), 4 patients with alcohol induced ANFH, and 4 healthy persons for 12 h, 24 h, and 48 h respectively. Plasma samples from the above persons with the Mps filtered were used as experimental controls. HUVECs cultured with blank culture fluid were used as blank controls. Inverse phase contrast microscopy was used to observe the morphology of the HUVECs. PE-CD31 and PEcy5-CD62E were added into the flow cytometric test tubes and flow cytometry (FC) was used to count the number of CD62E +/ CD31 + Mps in the medium. RT-PCR was used to measure the mRNA expression of the apoptotic gene fas (fas/beta-actin).

RESULTS

Microscopy showed no distinct difference between the morphology of the HUVECs among the different groups. FC showed that the number of CD62E +/CD31 + Mps 48 hours after the 20% Mp stimulation of the steroid-treated SLE group was significantly lower than that of the control group (P = 0.035). RT-PCR showed that 48 hours after the stimulation the levels of mRNA fas/beta-actin of the steroid-treated SLE group and steroid induced ANFH group were 0.914 +/- 0.226 and 0.776 +/- 0.230 respectively, both significantly higher than those of the control groups (0.832 +/- 0. 200 and 0.669 +/- 0.148 respectively, P = 0.005 and P = 0.006).

CONCLUSIONS

The Mps from the steroid treated patients aggravate the apoptosis of HUVECs, and the Mps from the steroid induced ANFH patients augment the production of apoptosis gene in HUVECs. The Mps from healthy people and alcohol induced ANFH patients have no relationship with HUVEC apoptosis.