Inhibition of HUVEC apoptosis by caspase inhibitors.

HUVEC grown in LSM were untreated (control) or treated with gp120 or gp160 at 100 ng/mL each for 10 hours in the presence or absence of the caspase pathway inhibitor (I), Z-VAD-FMK, at a 40-μmol/L concentration. In addition, gp120-treated cells were incubated with the inhibitor control (IC), Z-FA-FMK, at a 40-μmol/L concentration. Apoptosis was measured using ELISA. *P < .0007; **P < .011.