Nalecz Institute of Biocybernetics and Biomedical Engineering, Polish Academy of Sciences, Ks. Trojdena 4, 02-109 Warsaw, Poland.
Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Jun 16;23(12):6704. doi: 10.3390/ijms23126704.
Diabetes mellitus causes endothelial dysfunction. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of normal (5 mmol/L), high (20 mmol/L), and fluctuating (5 and 20 mmol/L changed every day) glucose concentration in the culture medium on the viability of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) co-cultured with human umbilical artery smooth muscle cells (HUASMCs). The cultures were conducted on semi-permeable flat polysulfone (PSU) fibronectin-coated membranes immobilized in self-made inserts. The insert contained either HUVECs on a single membrane or HUASMCs and HUVECs on two membranes close to each other. Cultures were conducted for 7 or 14 days. Apoptosis, mitochondrial potential, and the production of reactive oxygen species and lactate by HUVECs were investigated. The results indicate that fluctuations in glucose concentration have a stronger negative effect on HUVECs viability than constant high glucose concentration. High and fluctuating glucose concentrations slow down cell proliferation compared to the culture carried out in the medium with normal glucose concentration. In conclusion, HUASMCs affect the viability of HUVECs when both types of cells are co-cultured in medium with normal or variable glucose concentration.
糖尿病会导致内皮功能障碍。本研究旨在探讨正常（5mmol/L）、高（20mmol/L）和波动（每天 5 和 20mmol/L 交替）葡萄糖浓度在培养介质中对与人脐动脉平滑肌细胞（HUASMCs）共培养的人脐静脉内皮细胞（HUVECs）活力的影响。培养在半透性聚砜（PSU）纤维连接蛋白涂层膜上进行，该膜固定在自制的插入物中。插入物包含单层 HUVECs 或两层彼此靠近的 HUASMCs 和 HUVECs。培养进行了 7 或 14 天。研究了 HUVECs 的凋亡、线粒体电势以及活性氧和乳酸盐的产生。结果表明，葡萄糖浓度的波动对 HUVECs 活力的负面影响比恒定高葡萄糖浓度更强。与在正常葡萄糖浓度的培养基中进行的培养相比，高葡萄糖浓度和波动的葡萄糖浓度会减缓细胞增殖。总之，当两种细胞在正常或可变葡萄糖浓度的培养基中共培养时，HUASMCs 会影响 HUVECs 的活力。
