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The effect of shear stress on human endothelial cells seeded on cylindrical viscoelastic conduits: an investigation of gene expression
Author(s) -
Vara Dina S.,
Punshon Geoffrey,
Sales Kevin M.,
Hamilton George,
Seifalian Alexander M.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
biotechnology and applied biochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.468
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1470-8744
pISSN - 0885-4513
DOI - 10.1042/ba20060051
Subject(s) - gene expression , shear stress , chemistry , biophysics , gene , microbiology and biotechnology , materials science , biology , biochemistry , composite material
The present study assesses the effect of physiological shear stress on gene expression from human ECs (endothelial cells) seeded on a small‐diameter cylindrical bypass graft constructed from nanocomposite based on poly(carbonate‐silsesquioxane‐bridge‐urea)urethane. ECs were seeded on to 5‐mm‐diameter conduits, placed in a physiological flow circuit and exposed to 1 or 4 h of shear stress at 1.4±0.3 Pa. Subsets of conduits were incubated at 37 °C and 5% CO 2 /95% O 2 for a further 4 h to determine if gene expression returned to basal levels. PCR was conducted for glyceraldehyde‐3‐phosphate dehydrogenase, TGFβ‐1 (transforming growth factor β‐1), COL‐1 (collagen‐1) and PECAM‐1 (platelet/EC adhesion molecule‐1). Increases in gene expression were seen following flow in nanocomposite conduits. These were significant at 4 h for TGFβ‐1, COL‐1 and PECAM‐1. After a 4 h recovery period, there were no significant differences in gene intensity, suggesting that this change is transient. These data prove that mRNA can be obtained from ECs seeded on tubular conduits and exposed to shear stress and that gene‐expression studies can be successfully carried out. We believe this is a substantial improvement on studies based on flat sheets.