Summary
A reduction in production of prostacyclin (PGI2) by the cells in the vascular wall may play a role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis
in diabetic patients. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of glucose
on PGI2 production by endothelial cells in vitro. It was shown that PGI2 production by cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells was significantly reduced
in the presence of a high concentration of glucose (300 mg/dl) compared with physiological
concentrations of glucose (100 mg/ dl). In contrast, no reduction in PGI2 production was observed in cells cultured with equimolar mannitol, suggesting that
glucose itself, rather than the effect of osmolality, inhibited PGI2 production by cultured endothelial cells.
In addition, a high concentration of glucose also inhibited the proliferation of cultured
endothelial cells.
Keywords
Glucose - Prostacyclin - Vascular endothelial cells Summary