Pericardial endothelin secretion in patients underwent open heart surgery / 中华心血管病杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate pericardial endothelin (ET) secretion by the human pericardial mesothelial cells.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Plasma, pericardial fluid and pericardial tissue were obtained in 51 patients receiving open heart surgery (coronary artery bypass grafting, elective heart valvuloplasty or valve replacement). ET concentrations in the plasma, pericardial fluid and pericardial tissues were measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA). ET mRNA expression in the human pericardium was detected by in situ hybridization.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) The levels of ET in human pericardial fluid was significantly higher than that in the plasma [(128.8 +/- 44.0) ng/L vs. (93.7 +/- 28.6) ng/L, P < 0.001]; (2) ET concentration in the pericardial tissue was (510.3 +/- 156.7) ng/kg; (3) In situ hybridization technique evidenced the abundant ET mRNA expression in human pericardial mesothelial cells.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The study indicated that pericardium secreted ET into the pericardial space.</p>