Toxicity of oxygen radicals in cultured pulmonary endothelial cells

Superoxide dismutase and catalase, which catalytically remove O-2 and H2O2, respectively, each separately protected cultured pulmonary artery endothelial cells from loss of membrane integrity after exposure to oxygen radicals generated either cellularly (polymorphonuclear leukocytes) or chemically (dihydroxyfumarate). Nicotinamide, a precursor of nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide (NAD) and an inhibitor of ADP-ribose synthetase, also protected cultured endothelial cells from loss of membrane integrity in a concentration-dependent manner after exposure to DHF.