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Test of endothelial monolayer integrity in the presence or absence of endotoxin and anti-tnf-a monoclonal antibodies


Andualem Mossie
Stefan Eriksson
Hassen Taha Sherief
Legesse Zerihun

Abstract



Monolayer cultures of human umbilical vein endothelial cells were established and tested for the effects of endotoxin treatment and anti-TNF-a monoclonal antibodies following endotoxin treatment on albumin permeability and electrical conductance. Application of 40 -g(ml)-1 of endotoxin on human umbilical cord endothelial cell culture monolayer increased transendothelial albumin permeability significantly (P<0.001) and decreased transendothelial electrical resistances significantly (P<0.001). When 10 -g(ml)-1 of anti-TNF-a monoclonal antibodies was added after endotoxin, the effects of the latter on albumin permeability and electrical resistance were significantly decreased (P<0.001). This suggested that the monolayer sheet can be disturbed by endotoxin-induced TNF-a from endothelial cells. TNF-a can disintegrate the endothelial cell monolayer during septicemia. This can be abrogated using anti-TNF-a monoclonal antibodies.

SINET: Ethiopian Journal of Science Vol. 24, No. 1 (June 2001), pp. 105-112




Key words/phrases: Anti-TNF-a monoclonal antibodies, electrical resistance, endothelial monolayer, endotoxin, permeability

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eISSN: 2520-7997
print ISSN: 0379-2897