Expression and function of the non-neuronal cholinergic system in endothelial cells

Increasing evidence has shown the expression of the non-neuronal cholinergic system in endothelial cells. In the present experiments the expression of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) was investigated in human endothelial cells by anti-ChAT immunohistochemistry and anti-ChAT immunofluorescence. Positive ChAT immunoreactivity was found in cultures of human umbilical endothelial cells (HUVEC) and a human angiosarcoma cell line (HAEND). In HUVEC and HAEND choline acetyltransferase activity and small amounts of acetylcholine were also detected. Positive ChAT-immunoreactivity was demonstrated in situ in endothelial cells of the human umbilical cord. In addition, in experiments with confocal laser scanning microscopy positive anti-ChAT immunoreactivity was found in situ in endothelial cells of human skin blood vessels. In the first functional experiments with HUVEC acetylcholine appeared to mediate a small facilitatory effect on the expression of intracellular adhesion molecule-1. The present experiments demonstrate the wide existence of ChAT in human endothelial cells. Further experiments are addressed to elucidate the biological role of acetylcholine in the endothelium and possible differences between the different subtypes of endothelial cells.