Endothelial barrier dysfunction induced by anthracene and its nitrated or oxygenated derivatives at environmentally relevant levels

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are epidemiologically associated with cardiovascular diseases characterized by early key events involving in the disruption of endothelial barrier function. Whether PAHs can induce adverse cardiovascular outcome by directly destabilizing endothelial barrier function remains elusive. Herein, we investigated the effect of anthracene (ANT), 9-nitroanthracene (9-NANT), and 9,10-anthraquinone (9,10-AQ) on vascular endothelial barrier functions in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). The integrity of endothelial barrier in HUVECs was disturbed with a 1.15–1.42 fold increase in fluorescein leakage, and 21.8%–58.3% downregulated transendothelial electrical resistance. ANT, 9-NANT and 9,10-AQ promoted paracellular gap formation as revealed by transmission electron microscope. The disrupted cell junctions after 24 h exposure to ANT, 9-NANT and 9,10-AQ at 0.01 μM were indicated by the downregulated mRNA expression of vascular endothelial cadherin (VE-cadherin), zona occludens-1 (ZO-1) and occludin by 33.2%–71.4%, 19.1%–21.0%, and 31.9% respectively, and the downregulated protein expression of ZO-1 and occludin, and by the internalization of VE-cadherin. We demonstrated that ANT and its derivatives at environmentally relevant concentrations induced endothelial barrier dysfunction via the disruption of cell junctions, providing essential in vitro evidence on the association with their adverse cardiovascular outcomes. [Display omitted] •ANT, 9-NANT and 9,10-AQ induced endothelial barrier dysfunction via disruption of cell junction.•ANT, 9-NANT and 9,10-AQ promoted intercellular gap formation related to hyperpermeability.•ANT, 9-NANT and 9,10-AQ downregulated the mRNA expression of VE-cadherin, ZO-1 and occludin.•ANT, 9-NANT and 9,10-AQ markedly downregulated ZO-1 and occludin protein expression as well as induced VE-cadherin internalization in HUVECs.