To study endothelial injury in vitro, we established a three-dimensional (3-D) blood vessel model in which human umbilical vein endothelial cells were grown in the presence of basic fibroblast growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor. We then performed comparative studies on cisplatin (cis-platinum-diammine-dichloride, CDDP)-induced endothelial injury in 3-D and monolayer cultures. In 3-D culture, CDDP induced cell death and tube breakdown without DNA damage, whereas CDDP induced apoptosis accompanied by DNA damage in monolayer culture. CDDP also induced caspase-3 activation in a concentration-dependent manner in both cultures. A broad-spectrum caspase inhibitor, zVAD-fmk, failed to prevent CDDP-induced cell death and tube breakdown in 3-D culture, whereas zVAD-fmk suppressed CDDP-induced apoptosis in monolayer culture. A calpain inhibitor, MDL28170, attenuated CDDP-induced cell death and tube breakdown in 3-D culture, but not apoptosis in monolayer culture. These results showed that calpain is involved in CDDP-induced endothelial injury in 3-D culture and there are significant differences in signaling pathways between 3-D and monolayer cultures.

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