Heat stress combined with lipopolysaccharide induces pulmonary
microvascular endothelial cell glycocalyx inflammatory damage in vitro
Abstract
Heat stroke is a life-threatening disease with high mortality rate and
unexpected complications. Vascular endothelial glycocalyx is essential
for maintaining endothelial cell structure and function as well as
preventing adhesion of inflammatory cells. Potential relationship that
underlays the imbalance in inflammation and coagulation remains elusive.
Moreover, the role of endothelial glycocalyx in heat stroke-induced
organ injury remained unclear. Heat stress and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)
are employed to construct in vitro models to study the change of
glycocalyx structure and function in human pulmonary microvascular
endothelial cells (HPMEC), as well as levels of heparansulfate
proteoglycan (HSPG), syndecans-1, heparansulfate, TNF-α, IL-6, vWF,
ET-1, Occludin, E-selectin, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1),
and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Here, we showed that heat stress and
LPS devastated endothelial glycocalyx structure, activated endothelial
glycocalyx degradation, and triggered oxidative damage in addition to
apoptosis in HPMEC. Stimulation of heat stress and LPS increased HSPG,
syndecans-1 (SDC-1), and heparansulfate levels, and promoted the ability
to produce and release pro-inflammation cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6,) and
coagulative factor (vWF, ET-1) in HPMEC. Furthermore, E-selectin,
VCAM-1, and ROS expression were upregulated in contrast to Occludin
downregulation. These changes could be deteriorated by Heparanase,
whereas could be ameliorated by unfractionated heparin. This study
highlights that heat stroke-induced endothelial glycocalyx degradation
can trigger oxidative and apoptosis in HPMEC, in addition to dysfunction
of inhibition of inflammatory response and protection in vascular
permeability.