ABSTRACT
Luminal surface of vascular endothelium is decorated with a variety of polysaccharide-protein complexes,which constitute the glycocalyx.It has been demonstrated that vascular endothelial glycocalyx plays an important role in modulation of selective permeability of vessels,mediation of the blood cell-endothelial cell interactions and the release of nitric oxide induced by fluid shear stress under physiological condition.In inflammation condition,sheding of glycocalyx due to inflammation mediator leads to its functional weakening in vessel protection.At the same time,heparan sulfate as a major constituent of vascular endothelial glycocalyx could be involved in regulating the evolution of inflammation.Heparan sulfate interacts with L-selectin to mediating leukocyte rolling,presents chemokines on luminal surfaces of endothelial cells to mediate leukocyte crawling and firm adhesion,participates in transcytosis of chemokines from tissue to luminal side of endothelial cells during inflammation.Various risk factors of atherosclerosis,as an inflammatory disease,are closely associated with vascular endothelial glycocalyx.This paper is aimed to review the role of vascular endothelial glycocalyx in inflammation and atherosclerosis.