A cellular model of endothelial cell ischemia.

Endothelial cell dysfunction in ischemia may cause increased capillary permeability. We examined the effect of failing ATP synthesis, a major consequence of ischemia, on microfilaments--important structural determinants of the endothelial cell. Glycolytic and mitochondrial ATP synthesis in bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells was inhibited by glucose depletion and 650 picomole (pmole) oligomycin/micrograms DNA, respectively. ATP levels were monitored with the luciferase-luciferin assay over a 2-hr time course followed by recovery for 1 hr after removal of the oligomycin and addition of 5.5 mM glucose. ATP levels fell to 83.6 +/- 63.8 pmole/micrograms DNA (n = 11) by 30 min, 26.9 +/- 13.8 pmole/micrograms DNA (n = 11) by 60 min, and 17.2 +/- 3.8 pmole/micrograms DNA (n = 6) by 120 min, whereas control uninjured cells had 541.3 +/- 196.8 pmole/micrograms DNA (n = 6) at 120 min. Fluorescence microscopy of microfilaments stained with rhodamine-phalloidin revealed progressive disassembly and shortening of the microfilaments in greater than 90% of cells over 60 min which correlated with the fall in ATP. Ultrastructural examination revealed that side to side aggregation of microfilaments had occurred over the 120-min time course. Two hours of glucose depletion (305.5 +/- 130.8 pmole ATP/micrograms DNA, n = 6) or oligomycin alone (480.0 +/- 90.1 pmole ATP/micrograms DNA, n = 6) failed to produce the dramatic fall in ATP or the microfilament changes. During cell recovery, there was a rapid reassembly of microfilaments, detected by fluorescence microscopy, which was nearly complete in 85-90% of cells by 45-60 min. ATP levels increased significantly (P = 0.002) to 96.1 +/- 36.8 pmole/micrograms DNA (n = 6) by 30 min. This model should provide insight into the pathogenesis and treatment of the capillary leak seen with ischemia.