Nitrates and endothelial prostacyclin production: studies in vitro.

The hypothesis that nitrates evoke prostacyclin production by vascular endothelium has been reevaluated on cultured umbilical vein endothelial cells and in vascular fragments, both obtained from humans. Endothelial cell monolayers (passages 1 and 2) were washed free of culture medium and exposed for 3 to 5 min to buffer or nitroglycerin (NTG), isosorbide dinitrate (ISDN), or isosorbide-5-mononitrate (ISMN) over a range of concentrations (10(-9)M to 10(-6)M) encompassing those usually attained in vivo, with or without 25 microM sodium arachidonate. Basal prostacyclin production, measured by radioimmunoassay of the stable metabolite 6-keto-PGF1 alpha, depended on cell density in the endothelial monolayer (being higher in preconfluent cultures) and on incubation time. Basal prostacyclin, however, was not altered by incubation with NTG (3.3 +/- 2.0 pg/1000 cells without drug vs 3.9 +/- 3.8 pg/1000 cells with drug, mean +/- SD), ISDN (3.1 +/- 1.9 vs 3.1 +/- 2.2), or ISMN (2.0 +/- 0.9 vs 2.3 +/- 1.5) at 10(-7)M (all differences NS). Also, long-term incubation (2, 6, and 24 hr) with ISDN and ISMN did not alter prostacyclin production over control. Over a 30-fold increase (p less than .001) in prostacyclin production was obtained with arachidonate stimulation, but incubation with nitrates did not significantly modify the stimulated production. Saphenous vein, mesenteric artery, and atrial appendage fragments incubated at 37 degrees C for 20 min in a shaking water bath with a control buffer produced 27.8 +/- 13.9, 189.7 +/- 75.2, and 662.3 +/- 390.6 pg 6-keto-PGF1 alpha/mg tissue, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)