Cytokine production and adhesive protein expression by endothelial cells after contact with polyethylene terephthalate.

The authors have evaluated adhesive protein expression and cytokine production by human umbilical vein endothelial cells cultured in contact with polyethylene terephthalate (PET). ELAM-1, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 expression was determined by flow cytometry; the concentration of interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha), interleukin-6 (IL-6), granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in the supernatant was determined by enzyme immunoassay. The contact with PET determined a significant increase in ELAM-1 expression and insignificant increase in cytokine production, demonstrating that PET had a limited capability to stimulate endothelial cells in a pro-inflammatory sense.