Use of a human microvascular endothelial cell line as a model system to evaluate cholesterol uptake.

CDC/EU.HMEC-1 (HMEC-1) cells provide a reliable source of human microvascular endothelial cells free of mycoplasma and viral infection. This cell line has potential for use in the further study of the endothelial cell modification of low-density lipoproteins and for anticholesterol drug evaluation assays. HMEC-1 cells will fill a gap that is present for in vitro investigations of cholesterol metabolism in conjunction with previously established hepatic, monocytic, or macrophage cell lines. This paper presents a simple assay that demonstrates a linear uptake of tritiated cholesterol by he HMEC-1 cells and shows that the cellular cholesterol load can be regulated using anticholesterol drugs.