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pubmed:abstractText |
Endothelial cell activation is achieved by the rapid, protein synthesis-independent induction of a characteristic set of genes. Because of the abundance of binding sites for the transcription factor NF-kappa B in the regulatory region of the aforementioned genes, we hypothesized that this factor might play a key role. Reactive oxygen intermediates act as second messengers in the activation of NF-kappa B. We have used the antioxidant pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate to analyze the effect of NF-kappa B inhibition on TNF alpha-induced EC activation in vitro. We show that pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate strongly reduces the TNF alpha-mediated induction of E-selectin, VCAM-1, ICAM-1, PAI-1, tissue factor, IL-8 and I kappa B-alpha. We present evidence identifying NF-kappa B as a central of EC activation. Therefore, this factor may represent a prime target for therapeutic intervention in pathologic conditions associated with EC activation such as allo- and xenograft rejection, atherosclerosis, ischemic reperfusion injury and vasculitis.
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pubmed:affiliation |
Sandoz Center for Immunobiology, New England Deaconess Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
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