Protein expression in vascular endothelial cells obtained from human peripheral arteries and veins

Abstract

Studying molecular mechanisms of vascular endothelial function in humans is difficult in part because of limited access to arteries. Access to peripheral veins is more practical. We determined if differences in protein expression of endothelial cells (EC) collected from a peripheral artery are reflected in measurements made on EC obtained from peripheral veins. EC were collected from the brachial artery and an antecubital vein of 106 healthy adults (60 men and 46 women, age 18-77 years). Quantitative immunofluorescence was used to measure protein expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), Ser-1177 phosphorylated eNOS, manganese superoxide dismutase, nitrotyrosine, xanthine oxidase and nuclear factor-kappaB p65. Protein expression in EC obtained from brachial artery and antecubital vein sampling was moderately to strongly related (r = 0.59-0.81, all p < 0.0001, mean r = 0.70). Moreover, differences between subgroups in the lowest and highest tertiles of protein expression in EC obtained from arterial samples were consistently reflected in EC obtained from venous collections. These findings indicate that interindividual and group differences in expression of several proteins involved in nitric oxide production, oxidant production, antioxidant defense and inflammatory signaling in EC obtained from brachial artery sampling are consistently reflected in EC obtained from venous samples. Thus, EC collected from peripheral veins may provide a useful surrogate for EC obtained from arteries for measurements of EC protein expression in humans.

Copyright 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Figures

Fig. 1

a Log-transformed relation of protein expression of eNOS in EC obtained from arterial and venous samples. b Protein expression in EC acquired from arteries and veins in the lowest and highest tertiles of eNOS in arterial samples. ∗ p < 0.0001, lowest vs. highest tertiles.

Fig. 2

a Relation of abundance of P-eNOS (Ser-1177) in EC obtained from arterial and venous samples. b Content in EC acquired from arteries and veins in the lowest and highest tertiles of P-eNOS in arterial EC samples. ∗ p < 0.0001, lowest vs. highest tertiles.

Fig. 3

a Relation of protein expression of MnSOD in EC obtained from arterial and venous samples. b Protein expression in EC acquired from arteries and veins in the lowest and highest tertiles of MnSOD protein expression in arterial samples. ∗ p < 0.0001, lowest vs. highest tertiles.

Fig. 4

a Relation of abundance of nitrotyrosine between EC obtained from arterial and venous samples. b Content in EC acquired from arteries and veins in the lowest and highest tertiles of nitrotyrosine in arterial samples. ∗ p < 0.0001, lowest vs. highest tertiles.

Fig. 5

a Relation of protein expression of xanthine oxidase in EC obtained from arterial and venous samples. b Protein expression in EC acquired from arteries and veins in the lowest and highest tertiles of xanthine oxidase in arterial samples. ∗ p < 0.0001, lowest vs. highest tertiles.

Fig. 6

a Log-transformed relation of protein expression of NF-κB p65 in EC obtained from arterial and venous samples. b Protein expression in EC acquired from arteries and veins in the lowest and highest tertiles of NF-κB p65 EC in arterial samples. ∗ p < 0.0001, lowest vs. highest tertiles.