96- and 2.44-fold, respectively. COX-2 is unexpressed under the normal conditions but elevated during an inflammation. The data suggest that oxidative stress, not ER stress, is sensitive to DMSA-Fe2O3. In addition, the expression of NOS3 (eNOS) was mildly decreased in DMSA-Fe2O3-treated

HAECs, which was consistent to the AZD5582 mw result of NO concentration (Figure 3). We found up-regulation of gene expression for cell-cell contact and adhesion including ICAM1 (intercellular adhesion molecule 1, ICAM-1), VCAM1 (vascular cell adhesion protein 1, VCAM-1), and SELE (endothelial-leukocyte adhesion molecule 1, E-selectin) (3.3-, 4.9-, and 8.1-fold, respectively, Figure 4). ICAM-1 is a type of intercellular adhesion molecule which continuously presents in low concentrations in the membranes of leukocytes and endothelial cells, and greatly increases upon cytokine stimulation. VCAM-1 and E-selectin are cell adhesion molecules expressed only after the endothelial cells being stimulated by cytokines

and thus play an important role in inflammation. Thus, together PI3K Inhibitor Library in vivo with the data from genes associated with oxidative stress, the results of adhesion molecular genes indicate that inflammation response is likely evoked in HAECs following 0.02 mg/ml 4EGI-1 DMSA-Fe2O3 treatment before the onset of cell death. Effects of DMSA-Fe2O3 on HAECs tube formation Angiogenesis, the formation of new capillaries from preexisting blood vessels, is a motile process involving ECs activation. The migration of ECs is essential to angiogenesis and this complex process may be induced by kinds of mediators including cytokines, growth factors, and cell adhesion molecules. In physiological conditions, angiogenesis occurs in development and wound healing. However, pathological Gemcitabine angiogenesis plays an essential

role in cancer cell growth. The inhibition or antagonism of angiogenesis has been the focus of extensive basic and clinical research [40, 41]. To further determine the effect of DMSA-Fe2O3 on angiogenesis by the HAECs, we performed endothelial tube formation assay using the Matrigel basement membrane matrix. We found that while HAECs without DMSA-Fe2O3 treatment formed a capillary-like network on Matrigel-coated wells within 14 h (Figure 5a), on the opposite, HAECs treated with 6M urea failed to form tubes due to its high osmolality (Figure 5d). Importantly, an obvious failure to form networks by the HAECs in the presence of DMSA-Fe2O3 with 0.01 (Figure 5b) and 0.02 mg/ml (Figure 5c) concentrations was observed. The length of the formed tube was decreased to 42.5% and 19.1% of the normal control at 0.01 and 0.02 mg/ml DMSA-Fe2O3, respectively (Figure 6). The elevated expressions of cell adhesion molecules might be responsible for the failed tube formation.