Effect of lead on the glycosaminoglycans metabolism of bovine aortic endothelial cells in culture.

We investigated the effect of lead nitrate (0.1, 1.0, 10 or 20 microM) on the metabolism of glycosaminoglycans (GAG) in confluent cultures of bovine aortic endothelial cells. It was found that lead at 10 and 20 microM significantly decreased the accumulation of [35S]sulfate-labeled GAG ([35S]GAG) both in the cell layer and the medium after a 24-h culture. A time course study showed that 10 microM lead decreased the accumulation of [3H]glucosamine-labeled GAG both in the cell layer and the medium after 24 h and longer. The release of [35S]GAG from the cell layer during the last 3 h of a 24 h culture was not changed by lead. The detachment of [3H]thymidine-labeled cells from the monolayer was unaffected by lead. It was shown that lead at 10 microM decreased both heparan sulfate and the other GAG in the cell layer; the former was more sensitive to lead treatment. Lead at 20 microM and below failed to increase the release of lactate dehydrogenase, suggesting that non-specific cell damage was not caused by lead. From these results, it was suggested that lead decreases endothelial cell heparan sulfate content through a decrease in the GAG production without a non-specific cell damage. Lead may be a risk factor of vascular disorders.