Biochemical and metabolic response to nitrogen dioxide-induced endothelial injury.

Nitrogen dioxide (NO2), a major oxidant constituent of vehicle emissions, is toxic to lung cells including endothelial cells. Since NO2 is a reactive free radical, one of the postulated mechanisms of NO2-induced pulmonary injury involves the peroxidation of membrane lipids. Therefore, this study evaluated the dose- and time-dependent effects of nitrogen dioxide exposure by measuring the biochemical and biophysical parameters, as well as the metabolic function, in porcine pulmonary artery and aortic endothelial cells in monolayer cultures. To evaluate the biochemical changes, the antioxidant enzyme GSH-reductase (GSH-red), GSH-peroxidase (GSH-per), and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) activities, as well as the lipid peroxide formation, glutathione (GSH) content, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release were measured. Biophysical changes were measured by monitoring lipid fluidity in both the hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions of the plasma membrane. The uptake of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) was measured as a metabolic function of endothelial cells. Confluent porcine pulmonary artery and aortic endothelial cells were exposed to 3 or 5 ppm NO2 or air (control) for 3-24 hours. After 3-, 6-, or 12-hour exposures to 3 or 5 ppm NO2, the GSH-red and G6PDH activities, as well as the lipid peroxide formation and LDH release, were not different from those of controls in both pulmonary artery and aortic endothelial cells. Exposure of the cells to 3 or 5 ppm NO2 for 24 hours resulted in significant increases in GSH-red (p less than 0.05) and G6PDH (p less than 0.001) activities in both cell types. Exposure to 5 ppm NO2 for 24 hours significantly (p less than 0.05) increased lipid peroxide formation and increased (p less than 0.01) LDH release in both the pulmonary artery and aortic endothelial cells. GSH-per activity and GSH content in NO2-exposed pulmonary artery and aortic endothelial cells were not different from those of controls, irrespective of NO2 concentration and exposure time. Fluorescence spectroscopy was used to measure the membrane lipid fluidity. Membrane fluidity in the hydrophobic region was measured by 1,6-diphenyl-1, 3, 5-hexatriene (DPH), an aromatic hydrocarbon that partitions into the hydrophobic interior of the lipid bilayer.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)