Premium
Laminar shear stress modulates endothelial luminal surface stiffness in a tissue‐specific manner
Author(s) -
Merick,
Wong Andrew K.,
Barahona Victor,
Llanos Pierre,
Kunar Balvir,
Palikuqi Brisa,
Ginsberg Michael,
Rafii Shahin,
Rabbany Sina Y.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
microcirculation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.793
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1549-8719
pISSN - 1073-9688
DOI - 10.1111/micc.12455
Subject(s) - mechanotransduction , endothelial stem cell , microbiology and biotechnology , shear stress , endothelium , cell type , laminar flow , chemistry , biophysics , cell , biology , materials science , in vitro , biochemistry , endocrinology , mechanics , composite material , physics
Objective Endothelial cells form vascular beds in all organs and are exposed to a range of mechanical forces that regulate cellular phenotype. We sought to determine the role of endothelial luminal surface stiffness in tissue‐specific mechanotransduction of laminar shear stress in microvascular mouse cells and the role of arachidonic acid in mediating this response. Methods Microvascular mouse endothelial cells were subjected to laminar shear stress at 4 dynes/cm 2 for 12 hours in parallel plate flow chambers that enabled real‐time optical microscopy and atomic force microscopy measurements of cell stiffness. Results Lung endothelial cells aligned parallel to flow, while cardiac endothelial cells did not. This rapid alignment was accompanied by increased cell stiffness. The addition of arachidonic acid to cardiac endothelial cells increased alignment and stiffness in response to shear stress. Inhibition of arachidonic acid in lung endothelial cells and embryonic stem cell‐derived endothelial cells prevented cellular alignment and decreased cell stiffness. Conclusions Our findings suggest that increased endothelial luminal surface stiffness in microvascular cells may facilitate mechanotransduction and alignment in response to laminar shear stress. Furthermore, the arachidonic acid pathway may mediate this tissue‐specific process. An improved understanding of this response will aid in the treatment of organ‐specific vascular disease.