TNF-α and TGF-β synergistically stimulate elongation of human endothelial cells without transdifferentiation to smooth muscle cell phenotype

• Published in: Cytokine (Philadelphia, Pa.) Pa.), 2013-01, Vol.61 (1), p.38-40
• Main Authors: Emmanuel, Catherine, Huynh, Minh, Matthews, Janice, Kelly, Elizabeth, Zoellner, Hans
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: actin; Apoptosis; cattle; Cell Differentiation; Cell elongation; Cell Transdifferentiation; Cells, Cultured; cytokines; endothelial cells; endothelium; Human umbilical vein endothelial cell; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells - metabolism; Humans; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle - metabolism; necrosis; phenotype; smooth muscle; Stress Fibers - metabolism; Transforming Growth Factor beta - pharmacology; Transforming growth factor-β1; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - pharmacology; Tumor necrosis factor-α
• ISSN: 1043-4666; 1096-0023
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2012.09.017

► TNF-α and TGF-β1 synergistically and reversibly induce elongation of human endothelium. ► TNF-α and TGF-β1 induce formation of actin stress fibres in HUVEC. ► Transdifferentiation was excluded by retained endothelial label and absence of smooth muscle label. We earlier reported synergy between tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) for apoptosis in human umbilical vein endothelium (HUVEC). Here, we study morphological change by circularity measurement of HUVEC surviving this cytokine induced synergistic apoptosis. Contrasting with reports by others studying bovine endothelium, HUVEC did not change morphology in response to TGF-β1. TNF-α markedly elongated cells (p