Skip to main content

Alterations in endothelial superoxide dismutase levels as a function of growth state in vitro.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Smith, LE; Sweet, E; Freedman, S; D'Amore, PA
Published in: Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci
January 1992

Damage to the retinal vasculature in retinopathy of prematurity is primarily at the level of the growing neovascular front. This clinical observation in combination with experimental observations that correlate the induction of superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity with differentiation led to the hypothesis that the basis for the relative vulnerability to oxygen lies in the relative "undifferentiated" nature of proliferating endothelial cells (EC). To test this hypothesis, an in vitro model of microvascular EC was used and levels of SOD activity were assayed as a function of growth state and differentiation. The SOD activity was elevated significantly in EC that stopped growing as a contact-inhibited monolayer compared with its activity in cells in their log phase of growth. In addition, SOD levels were elevated in microvascular cells that stopped growing and were organized into a network of capillary-like tubes, the ultimate differentiated state of microvascular EC. To understand the mechanism of increases in SOD activity with differentiation, the effect of extracellular matrix synthesized by a confluent monolayer of EC was examined as was artificial growth arrest caused by mitomycin. Both treatments led to an increase in SOD activity over control cells. Thus, it is possible that SOD activity in cells is modulated by information provided from the extracellular matrix and "intracellular" signals that indicate cessation of cell growth. These data support the hypothesis that the growing front of retinal microvessels is more vulnerable to effects of oxygen-induced damage because of their relatively undifferentiated state with respect to the oxygen radical-scavenging enzyme system of SOD.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci

ISSN

0146-0404

Publication Date

January 1992

Volume

33

Issue

1

Start / End Page

36 / 41

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Superoxide Dismutase
  • Ophthalmology & Optometry
  • Mitomycins
  • Extracellular Matrix
  • Endothelium, Vascular
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cell Division
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Cattle
  • Aorta
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Smith, L. E., Sweet, E., Freedman, S., & D’Amore, P. A. (1992). Alterations in endothelial superoxide dismutase levels as a function of growth state in vitro. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci, 33(1), 36–41.
Smith, L. E., E. Sweet, S. Freedman, and P. A. D’Amore. “Alterations in endothelial superoxide dismutase levels as a function of growth state in vitro.Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 33, no. 1 (January 1992): 36–41.
Smith LE, Sweet E, Freedman S, D’Amore PA. Alterations in endothelial superoxide dismutase levels as a function of growth state in vitro. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1992 Jan;33(1):36–41.
Smith, L. E., et al. “Alterations in endothelial superoxide dismutase levels as a function of growth state in vitro.Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci, vol. 33, no. 1, Jan. 1992, pp. 36–41.
Smith LE, Sweet E, Freedman S, D’Amore PA. Alterations in endothelial superoxide dismutase levels as a function of growth state in vitro. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1992 Jan;33(1):36–41.

Published In

Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci

ISSN

0146-0404

Publication Date

January 1992

Volume

33

Issue

1

Start / End Page

36 / 41

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Superoxide Dismutase
  • Ophthalmology & Optometry
  • Mitomycins
  • Extracellular Matrix
  • Endothelium, Vascular
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cell Division
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Cattle
  • Aorta