Pro- and antifibrinolytic properties of human pulmonary microvascular versus artery endothelial cells: Impact of endotoxin and tumor necrosis factor-α

Abstract

High baseline u-PA expression is a prominent feature of human lung microvascular EC, whereas pulmonary artery EC are characterized by high t-PA concentrations. Microbial and inflammatory challenge provokes up-regulation of PAI-1 and PAI-2 and down-regulation of t-PA in both macro- and microvascular pulmonary EC, which may favor local fibrin deposition.