Endothelial cells in culture were exposed during four hours to the apoptosis inducing agents endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide, LPS) and Fas-ligand mimicking antibody in various concentrations. With addition of a deletion primer as internal standard a competitive RT-PCR was performed to measure semi-quantitatively the expression of mRNA of Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). It appeared that endothelial cells survive increasing amounts of LPS and show a concentration- and time-dependent increase in the expression of VEGF-mRNA. The same effect was found with Fas-ligation, although at high concentrations Fas-ligation induced no further increase, but even a decrease of VEGF expression, possibly related to cell damage. Apoptotic cells were rarely observed after LPS-stimulation, but simultaneous incubation with a blocking antibody to VEGF resulted in a significant increase in apoptosis. We hypothesize that endothelial cells are resistant to apoptosis induction by autocrine expression of VEGF under stress conditions.