The effect of advanced glycation end products on endothelial cell and platelet activation and their interactions

Abstract

Our goal was to elucidate the effects of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) on endothelial cell (EC) and platelet (Pt) activation as a function of time. ECs, incubated for 5 days with reversibly and irreversibly glycated AGEs, were exposed to Pts for up to 4 hours. Pts were pre‐exposed to the same AGEs for 0.5 hour. EC metabolic activity was measured with a MTT assay. A time course for the EC surface expression of connexin‐43/caveolin‐1, ICAM‐1, tissue factor and thrombomodulin was obtained to quantify network formation and inflammatory and thrombotic potential. Expression of Pt P‐selectin, GPIIb/IIIa and PECAM‐1 was quantified with flow cytometry for 4 hours after EC incubation. We hypothesized that exposure to irreversibly glycated AGEs would increase Pt activation and EC inflammatory and thrombogenic potential and that it would be more susceptible with time. Results indicate an increased metabolic activity, inflammatory/thrombogenic potential and Pt activation after 1 hour of incubation, but the enhanced activity reduced after 4 hours. Thus, the results suggest that irreversibly glycated AGEs can promote EC and Pt activation that may induce cardiovascular disease responses. Thanks to OCAST.