Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 12, 2026

Screening Assays to Characterize Novel Endothelial Regulators Involved in the Inflammatory Response
Published on: September 15, 2017
Cellular expression of isoforms of endothelin-converting enzyme-1 (ECE-1c, ECE-1b and ECE-1a) and
1Clinical Pharmacology Unit, University of Cambridge, Addenbrookes Hospital, UK. apd10@medschl.cam.ac.uk
Abstract:
Our aim was to compare the cellular expression of endothelin-converting enzyme-1 (ECE-1) isoforms and ECE-2 using immunocytochemistry in normal and diseased human tissue. Intense ECE-1b immunoreactivity was present within renal and pulmonary epithelial cells with lower levels of staining displayed by ECE-1c, ECE-1a and ECE-2 antisera. Staining was detected with all antisera (except ECE-1a) within the endothelium of renal and pulmonary vessels having a range of lumen diameters as well as pial arteries and intracerebral vessels penetrating brain. ECE-1b, ECE-1c and ECE-2 immunoreactivity was localized to perivascular astrocytes and neuronal processes in the cerebral cortex. In diseased vessels, ECE-1c, ECE-1b and ECE-2 antisera stained macrophages infiltrating atherosclerotic plaques within coronary arteries. These results suggest ECE-1b and ECE-2 may be widely expressed in normal tissue from humans and inhibition of ECE-1 isoforms and ECE-2 expressed by cells such as macrophages in pathophysiological tissue may be an additional therapeutic target in cardiovascular disease.
Related Concept Videos
Cell Specific Gene Expression
Regulation of Angiogenesis and Blood Supply
Role of Ephrin-Eph Signalling in Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal
Antihypertensive Drugs: Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors
Treatment for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Endothelin Receptor Antagonists
ETs are synthesized through a complex sequence of enzymatic steps, primarily involving an enzyme referred to as endothelin-converting enzyme (ECE). Of...

