Effect of antioxidant strategies on cytokine-induced HBMvEC barrier disruption.

<p>(<b>A</b>) Confluent cells were treated with TNF-α (top) or IL-6 (bottom) (0–100 ng/ml, 18 hrs). Post-treatment, HBMvEC monolayer permeability was monitored by transendothelial permeability assay. Histograms represent the increase in % Transendothelial Exchange of FITC-Dextran 40 kDa (%TEE FD40) in response to increasing concentration of cytokine. (<b>B, C</b>) Prior to treatment with TNF-α (top) or IL-6 (bottom) (100 ng/ml, 18 hrs), confluent cells were pre-treated with either; (<b>B</b>) SOD (200 U/ml), CAT (200 U/ml), NAC (1 mM) or APO (10 µM); or (<b>C</b>) gp91 siRNA, p47 siRNA, or NSC23766 (50 mM). Following cytokine treatment, HBMvEC permeability was monitored. Histograms represent the change in permeability (%TEE FD40) in response to cytokines in the absence and presence of antioxidant treatment. *<i>P</i>≤0.05 versus untreated controls. ^Ø<i>P</i>≤0.05 versus cytokine without antioxidant treatment.