High concentration of glucose induces the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells

• Published in: Atherosclerosis 1998-05, Vol.138 (1), p.35-41
• Main Authors: Takami, Shigeki, Yamashita, Shizuya, Kihara, Shinji, Kameda-Takemura, Kaoru, Matsuzawa, Yuji
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Atherosclerosis; Atherosclerosis (general aspects, experimental research); Biological and medical sciences; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Cardiology. Vascular system; Cell Adhesion - drug effects; Cell enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); Cells, Cultured; Culture Media - pharmacology; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Endothelium, Vascular - cytology; Endothelium, Vascular - metabolism; Glucose - administration & dosage; Glucose - pharmacology; Human umbilical vein endothelial cell; Humans; Hyperglycemia; Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1); Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 - metabolism; Medical sciences; Monocytes - drug effects; Monocytes - physiology; Osmolar Concentration; Raffinose - pharmacology; Time Factors; Umbilical Veins - metabolism
• ISSN: 0021-9150; 1879-1484
• DOI: 10.1016/S0021-9150(97)00286-4

Atherosclerosis is known to be accelerated in patients with diabetes mellitus. We have examined the effect of glucose on the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and the adhesion of cells of monocyte-like cell line, THP-1, to HUVEC. HUVEC exposed to a high glucose concentration (16.7 mM) showed a 1.4-fold increase in the adhesion of THP-1 cells and a 1.3-fold increase in cell surface expression of ICAM-1 after 6 h exposure compared with those cultured in medium with a low glucose concentration (5.6 mM). ICAM-1 expression began to increase after 3 h exposure, was maximal at 6 h and gradually decreased afterwards. At 16.7 mM, raffinose stimulation produced a significantly lower expression of ICAM-1 on HUVEC than glucose, whereas it caused a significantly higher expression than low glucose stimulation (5.6 mM). We conclude that a high concentration of glucose can induce ICAM-1 in endothelial cells and that this effect may play an important role in atherogenesis in patients with diabetes mellitus.