Effect of sodium arsenite on the blood coagulation-fibrinolytic system in cultured vascular endothelial cells and macrophage-like THP-1 cells

Abstract

Arsenic is an environmental pollutant that causes atherosclerosis. In this study, we found that arsenite inhibits the fibrinolytic activity through NRF2-dependent suppression of t-PA expression in vascular endothelial cells, whereas arsenite upregulated the expression of PAI-1 and tissue factor in macrophage-like THP-1 cells. These results suggest that arsenite decreases the fibrinolytic activity in blood vessels through disruption of the coagulation-fibrinolytic system in vascular endothelial cells and macrophages, resulting in a promotion of atherosclerosis progression.