Role of endothelial nitric oxide synthase in endothelial activation: insights from eNOS knockout endothelial cells

The objective of this study was to determine whether absence of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) affects the expression of cell surface adhesion molecules in endothelial cells. Murine lung endothelial cells (MLECs) were prepared by immunomagnetic bead selection from wild-type and eNOS knockout mice. Wild-type cells expressed eNOS, but eNOS knockout cells did not. Expression of neuronal NOS and inducible NOS was not detectable in cells of either genotype. Upon stimulation, confluent wild-type MLECs produced significant amounts of NO compared with N-omega-monomethyl-L-arginine-treated wild-type cells. eNOS knockout and wild-type cells showed no difference in the expression of E-selectin, P-selectin, intracellular adhesion molecule-1, and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 as measured by flow cytometry on the surface of platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1/CD31)-positive cells. Both eNOS knockout and wild-type cells displayed the characteristics of resting endothelium. Adhesion studies in a parallel plate laminar flow chamber showed no difference in leukocyte-endothelial cell interactions between the two genotypes. Cytokine treatment induced endothelial cell adhesion molecule expression and increased leukocyte-endothelial cell interactions in both genotypes. We conclude that in resting murine endothelial cells, absence of endothelial production of NO by itself does not initiate endothelial cell activation or promote leukocyte-endothelial cell interactions. We propose that eNOS derived NO does not chronically suppress endothelial cell activation in an autocrine fashion but serves to counterbalance signals that mediate activation.