[Effects of tobacco smoke on the expression of ICAM-1 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells].

OBJECTIVE

To study the effect of tobacco smoke on the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 in endothelial cell.

METHODS

Macrophages were challenged in vitro with cigarette smog, and the supernatant was collected at 3 h, 6 h, 12 h and 24 h after tobacco treatment. The tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) was measured by the ELISA method. Then the human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were incubated with the supernatant from the macrophages stimulated by cigarette smoke allergen. ICAM-1 in the supernatant was detected by the ELISA method.

RESULTS

TNF-alpha was increased with the longer incubation time. A significant difference of TNF-alpha(t = -4.301, P < 0.01) was observed between the tobacco treated group (4.967 +/- 0.802 pg/ml) and the control group (3.181 +/- 0.214 pg/ml). Soluble ICAM-1 in HUVEC in the tobacco treated group (mean 0.068 4 ng/ml) increased 49% than the controls (mean 0.045 9 ng/ml).

CONCLUSION

The results suggested that cigarette smog enhances the expression of TNF-alpha in the antigen-presenting cell(APC)-macrophage, and the latter up-regulates the secretion of the membrane glycoprotein sICAM-1 in HUVEC which can assist leukocyte immigration.