Proliferation, morphology, and low-density lipoprotein metabolism of arterial endothelial cells cultured from normal and diabetic minipigs.

Aortic endothelial cells from control and streptozotocin diabetic minipigs were cultured. Both groups of cells exhibited the typical cobblestone-like appearance and gap junction formation. Endothelial cells derived from diabetic minipigs differed, however, from those from control animals by a higher rate of proliferation and a higher percentage of large and often multinucleated cells. In these cells the specific binding of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) to coated pits on the cell surface, the LDL uptake, and the intracellular transport of LDL to lysosomes were visualized by gold-labeled LDL complexes. The binding, internalization, and degradation of LDL by subconfluent, non-contact-inhibited endothelial cells was quantified using 125I-labeled LDL. The LDL metabolism of endothelial cells derived from diabetic animals was increased by about 40% compared to endothelial cells derived from nondiabetic animals.