Vasoactive substances produced by cultured rat brain endothelial cells

The vasoactive substances synthesized by primary cultures of rat brain endothelial cells were investigated and compared to those from two, immortalized cell lines, RBE4 and GP8. The vasoactivity of endothelium-derived substances was measured on isolated canine coronary artery. Vascular tone was significantly decreased by both primary and GP8, but not by RBE4 cells. Indomethacin pretreatment of primary and GP8 cells turned vasorelaxation into contraction while N-omega-nitro-L-arginine pretreatment decreased the vasorelaxation induced by primary, but not by GPs cells. Eicosanoid production was determined after incubation with [C-14]arachidonic acid. The predominant vasoactive eicosanoid was prostaglandin E-2 in both primary and GP8 cells. RBE4 cells synthetized mainly prostaglandin F-2 alpha and thromboxane B-2 and significantly less prostaglandin E-2 than did either primary or GP8 cells. The capacity of cerebral endothelium to regulate vascular tone by production of dilator and constrictor substances can be preserved under certain circumstances in immortalized cell lines. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.