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Updated: Aug 22, 2026

Quantitation of Endothelial Cell Adhesiveness In Vitro
Published on: June 18, 2015
Carvedilol inhibits tumor necrosis factor-alpha-induced endothelial transcription factor activation, adhesion
Jaw-Wen Chen1, Feng-Yen Lin, Yung-Hsiang Chen
1National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, 201, Sec 2, Shih-Pai Road, Taipei, Taiwan 112, Republic of China. jwchen@vghtpe.gov.tw
Insights
Carvedilol effectively reduces tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)-induced endothelial cell adhesiveness by inhibiting reactive oxygen species (ROS) and key transcription factors, suggesting a role in preventing atherosclerosis.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Research
- Molecular Biology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Endothelial adhesiveness to mononuclear cells (MNCs) is an early indicator of atherosclerosis.
- Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) significantly increases this endothelial adhesiveness.
- Identifying agents that can inhibit this process is crucial for developing atherosclerosis treatments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential of carvedilol, a known antioxidant and adrenoceptor antagonist, in inhibiting TNF-alpha-induced endothelial adhesiveness.
- To compare carvedilol's effects with other agents like probucol, propanolol, and prazosin.
- To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying carvedilol's action.
Main Methods:
- Human mononuclear cells (MNCs) were isolated from healthy subjects.
- Human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs) were pretreated with carvedilol, probucol, propanolol, or prazosin before TNF-alpha stimulation.
- Expression of adhesion molecules (VCAM-1, E-selectin), intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and transcription factor activation (NF-kappa B, AP-1) were measured.
Main Results:
- Carvedilol and probucol significantly reduced TNF-alpha-stimulated endothelial adhesiveness to MNCs; propanolol and prazosin did not.
- Carvedilol inhibited both VCAM-1 and E-selectin expression, while probucol only inhibited VCAM-1.
- Carvedilol significantly decreased TNF-alpha-induced intracellular ROS production and the activation of NF-kappa B and AP-1 pathways.
Conclusions:
- Carvedilol effectively reduces TNF-alpha-induced endothelial adhesiveness by inhibiting ROS production and transcription factor activation.
- The inhibition of VCAM-1 and E-selectin expression by carvedilol contributes to its anti-atherogenic potential.
- These findings suggest carvedilol may play a significant role in the clinical management of atherosclerosis.
Objective:
We tested the hypothesis that carvedilol, a beta-adrenoceptor and alpha-adrenoceptor antagonist with potent antioxidant property, could inhibit tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)-induced endothelial adhesiveness to human mononuclear cells (MNCs), an early sign of atherogenesis.
Methods And Results:
Circulating MNCs were isolated from the peripheral blood of healthy subjects. Compared with control condition, pretreatment of carvedilol (10 micromol/L for 18 hours) or probucol (5 micromol/L for 18 hours), but not propanolol, prazosin, or both propanolol and prazosin significantly decreased TNF-alpha-stimulated adhesiveness of cultured human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs) to MNCs. Carvedilol inhibited TNF-alpha-stimulated endothelial vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and E-selectin (66.0+/-2.0% and 55.60+/-1.0% of control, P<0.05, respectively) expression, whereas probucol inhibited only VCAM-1 expression (79.0+/-5.0% of control, P<0.05). Propanolol, prazosin, or both did not alter the expression of adhesion molecules. Further, pretreatment with carvedilol significantly inhibited TNF-alpha-stimulated intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and the activation of redox sensitive nuclear factor kappa B and activator protein-1 transcription pathways.
Conclusions:
Carvedilol reduced TNF-alpha-stimulated endothelial adhesiveness to human MNCs by inhibiting intracellular ROS production, transcription factor activation, and VCAM-1 as well as E-selectin expression, suggesting its potential role in clinical atherosclerosis disease.
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