Table 2.

Effects of volatile anaesthetic preconditioning on signal transduction proteins in endothelium

Endothelium	Inhibition of endothelial NF-kappa B activation	Human umbilical vein, endothelial cells	Desflurane [58]
	Inhibition of TNF-alpha-stimulated expression of adhesion molecules ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and E-selectin	Human umbilical vein, endothelial cells	Desflurane [59]
	Prevention of TNF-alpha-induced adhesion molecule expression	Human umbilical vein, endothelial cells	Isoflurane [60]
	Inhibition of endothelial leucocyte adhesion	Human volunteers	Sevoflurane [61]
	Preservation of glycocalix from I-R-induced degradation by attenuation of lysosomal cathepsin B release	Guinea pig hearts in vitro	Sevoflurane [62]
	Endothelial protection against ischaemia mediated by PKCs and mKATP channels	Bovine pulmonary arterial endothelial cells	Isoflurane [63]
	NOSs (endothelial NOS and inducible NOS)	NOSs knockout mice	Desflurane [64]

NF, nuclear factor; TNF, tumour necrosis factor; ICAM-1, intercellular adhesion molecule-1; VCAM-1, vascular adhesion molecule-1; I-R, cardiac ischaemia–reperfusion; PKC, protein kinase C; mKATP channel, mitochondrial ATP-sensitive potassium channel; NOSs, nitric oxide synthases.