2 HAEC Human aortic endothelial

Growing clinical data also points to the importance of IL-8 in atherogenesis. IL-8 has been found in atheromatous lesions from patients with atherosclerotic disease including carotid artery stenosis (103), CAD (118), abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) (103,104,114), and peripheral vascular disease (PVD) (104). Furthermore, studies using plaque explant samples have yielded more direct evidence for IL-8 involvement. Media from cultured AAA tissue induced IL-8-dependent human aortic endothelial cell (HAEC) chemotaxis (122). Homocysteine, implicated as a possible biomarker for CAD, is also capable of inducing IL-8 (123-125) by direct stimulation of endothelial cells (123,124) and monocytes (125). When patients with hyperhomocysteinemia were treated with low-dose folic acid, decreases in homocysteine levels correlated with decreases in IL-8 levels (126). Statins significantly decrease serum levels of IL-6, IL-8, and MCP-1, as well as expression of IL-6, IL-8, and MCP-1 mRNA by peripheral blood monocytes and HUVECs (127). Thus, IL-8 may be an underappreciated factor in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. 

Studies with Human Aortic Endothelial Cell (HAEC). 155... 

This chapter summarizes our recent studies on resveratrol, with regard to its effects on(l) oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), (2) cells effecting development of the AS, and (3) experiments using hypercholesterolemic rabbits. Furthermore, we report preliminary results of the effects of resveratrol in human aortic endothelial cells (HAEC). In these cells, RT-PCR analysis shows that resveratrol elicits an increase in p38 MAP kinase, concomitant with significant induction of heat shock protein 27 (Hsp27). We hypothesize that resveratrol may confer cardioprotection by functioning as a pleiotropic cellular effector. 

In the first part of this paper we shall snmmarize onr previons studies of the effects of resveratrol on LDL oxidation, on cells participating in atherogenesis, and on aspects of hypercholesterolemia using rabbits as a model. In the second part, we shall report our preliminary studies of the effects of resveratrol on cultured human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs). The implications of onr findings will also be discussed briefly. 

STUDIES WITH HUMAN AORTIC ENDOTHELIAL CELL (HAEC)... 

Figure 1. A. TEM image of the as-received 70-nm rhodamine labeled SiOj particles. B. Fluorescence microscope image of human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs) treated with 70-nm rhodamine labeled SiO particles (10 ug/cm ) for 24 hrs. 20x objective, 200x magnification. Red= SiOj particles Blue = DAPI stained nucleus. C. Fluorescence image of cell lysate containing the 70-nm rhodamine labled particles. 20x objective, 200x magnification. D. TEM image of a dried aliquot of the final sample after cleanup for SdFFF containing 70-nm rhodamine labeled SiO particles in dried residual material.

---