Inhibitory effect of methylmercury on migration and tube formation by cultured human vascular endothelial cells.

The effect of methylmercury chloride (MeHg) on migration and tube formation by cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was quantitatively analyzed. The distance of endothelial cell outgrowth from the scraped edge of a monolayer was measured. HUVEC outgrowth was inhibited by MeHg (1.0-5.0 microM) treatment in a dose-dependent manner. Tube formation was studied by culturing the cells on gelled basement membrane matrix (Matrigel). Treatment of HUVECs with 0.1-5.0 microM MeHg for 24 h inhibited tube formation dose-dependently. These results suggest that migration and tube formation by HUVECs are susceptible to MeHg cytotoxicity, and that MeHg could be injurious to endothelial cell function, which may be involved in the pathogenesis of arteriosclerosis.