Effects of oxidative stress and antioxidant treatments on eicosanoid synthesis and lipid peroxidation in long term human umbilical vein endothelial cells culture.

We analyzed the influence of oxidative stress and agents that modify its effect in human umbilical vein endothelial cell cultures (HUVEC). The parameters analyzed were PGI2, TXA2, PGI2/TXA2 ratio, lipid peroxidation and cell viability. Oxidative stress was induced by H2O2. The agents (treatments) that were tested are: antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase and catalase), oxygen free radical scavenger (vitamin E) and eicosanoids of the series 2 and 3 (Arachidonic acid, Eicosapentanoic acid). In this study we show, in long term endothelial cell cultures, the effects of different levels of oxidative stress alone or in combination with the different treatment agents, over the analyzed parameters. With induced oxidative stress alone the results obtained indicate that it has a harmful effect over cell function and viability, and that this effect is dose and time dependent. In absence of oxidative stress in basal situation, none of the treatments assayed showed significant differences compared to control cultures in the different analyzed parameters. When oxidative stress increased, antioxidant enzymes reduced cell damage and had a protective function, whereas Eicosapentanoic acid and vitamin E presented a lower level of protection. No beneficial effect was observed with arachidonic acid treatments. A significant increase in cell survival was observed in culture cells with oxidative stress when they were treated with antioxidant enzymes.