The association between telomere length and sensitivity to apoptosis of HUVEC

To study the association between the mean telomere length (MTL) of human umbilical endothelial cells (HUVEC) and their sensitivity to apoptosis.

Apoptosis of HUVEC was induced by using free hydroxyl radicals. The rate of apoptosis was determined and mean telomere length of HUVEC that were cultured for 1 or 3 months were measured by Southern Blot.

At 0.2 mmol/l FeSO(4)/0.0001 mmol/l H(2)O(2) free radical concentration, the apoptosis rate was 8.0 and 17.5% and MTL was 4.66 +/- 0.05 and 3.40 +/- 0.46 kb for HUVEC cultured for 1 and 3 months, respectively. At 0.2 mmol/l FeSO(4)/0.005 mmol/l H(2)O(2), apoptosis rates were 17.4 and 36.0% and MTL were 3.67 +/- 0.06 and 2.90 +/- 0.20 kb for HUVEC cultured for 1 and for 3 months, respectively. Control HUVEC had apoptosis rates of 0.5 and 1.0% and MTL of 5.43 +/- 0.45 and 4.57 +/- 0.21 kb for 1 and 3 months, respectively. The MTL and the apoptosis rates in the treatment groups differed significantly from the controls (p <0.05).

HUVEC with less culture time or short telomere were sensitive to oxidation stress. Oxidation stress also can enhance the shortening of telomere length.