Objective To study the mechanisms and treatment of ischemia /reperfusion injury, expression of intracellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1) were measured, the effect on suppression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 by the pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) were investigated. Methods Endothelial cells were divided into 3 groups, hypoxia group: endothelial cells were exposed in hypoxia condition, then returned to reoxygenation condition; the PDTC group: PDTC was added to the endothelial cells in the culture media before exposing to hypoxia condition; control group: endothelial cells underwent treatment. Confocal microscopy was used to detect expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1. Results ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 expression were low in endothelial cells of control group, and increased in hypoxia group . ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 expression of endothelial cells in PDTC group werelower than those in hypoxia group , but higher than those in control group. Conclusions It seems that hypoxia/ reoxygenation can activate the endothelial cells and increase the expression of cell adhesion molecules. PDTC can decrease the expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1. PDTC may prove benificial in the treatment of ischemia /reperfusion injury.
