Project description:Arterial stiffness is a prevalent, independent cardiovascular risk factor, but the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. Wall shear stress and shear-sensitive genes may promote arterial stiffening through clinically important signaling pathways. Our goal was to identify how disturbed blood flow leads to arterial stiffness using the mouse partial carotid ligation model. Here we used our in vivo partial carotid ligation model to induce d-flow in the LCA while the contralateral RCA continues to experience stable laminar flow using the C57BL/6x129SvEv mice, TSP-1 knockout (KO), and C57Bl/6J mice. We compared these to aged (80 week) mice which had increased arterial stiffness due to aging. Changes in gene expression were identified using microarrays that were performed on the endothelial-enriched RNA isolated from the carotids exposed to stable flow (RCA) and compared to disturbed flow (LCA). Arterial stiffness was determined ex vivo by biaxial mechanical testing and in vivo by ultrasound techniques. Myointimal hyperplasia and immunohistochemistry were performed in sectioned carotid arteries. In vitro testing of signaling pathways utilized oscillatory and laminar wall shear stress. Human arteries were tested ex vivo to validate critical results found in the animal model.
Project description:MEK5 is activated by shear stress in large vessel endothelial cells (ECs) and contributes to the suppression of pro-inflammatory changes in the arterial wall. We used microarray analyses of total RNA from MEK5/CA-transduced HDMECs compared to LacZ control-transduced HDMECs to identify distinct classes of several regulated genes, including KLF4, eNOS, and ICAM. We conclude that MEK5 activation by shear stress may modulate inflammatory responses in the microvasculature, and these actions are partly mediated by KLF4. Total RNA was isolated from 8 separate paired (derived from same primary isolate) MEK5/CA and LacZ transduced HDMEC lines
Project description:MEK5 is activated by shear stress in large vessel endothelial cells (ECs) and contributes to the suppression of pro-inflammatory changes in the arterial wall. We used microarray analyses of total RNA from MEK5/CA-transduced HDMECs compared to LacZ control-transduced HDMECs to identify distinct classes of several regulated genes, including KLF4, eNOS, and ICAM. We conclude that MEK5 activation by shear stress may modulate inflammatory responses in the microvasculature, and these actions are partly mediated by KLF4.
Project description:Chronic high flow can induce arterial remodeling, and this effect is mediated by endothelial cells (ECs) responding to wall shear stress (WSS). To assess how WSS above physiological normal levels affects ECs, we used DNA microarrays to profile EC gene expression under various flow conditions. Cultured bovine aortic ECs were exposed to no flow (0 Pa), normal WSS (2 Pa) and very high WSS (10 Pa) for 24 hrs. Very high WSS induced a distinct expression profile when compared to both no flow and normal WSS. Gene ontology and biological pathway analysis revealed that high WSS modulated gene expression in ways that promote an anti-coagulant, anti-inflammatory, proliferative and pro-matrix remodeling phenotype. A subset of characteristic genes was validated using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR): Very high WSS upregulated ADAMTS1, PLAU (uPA), PLAT (tPA) and TIMP3, all of which are involved in extracellular matrix processing, with PLAT and PLAU also contributing to fibrinolysis. Downregulated genes included chemokines CXCL5 and IL-8 and the adhesive glycoprotein THBS1 (TSP1). Expressions of ADAMTS1 and uPA proteins were assessed by immunhistochemistry in rabbit basilar arteries experiencing increased flow after bilaterial carotid artery ligation. Both proteins were significantly increased when WSS was elevated compared to sham control animals. Our results indicate that very high WSS elicits a unique transcriptional profile in ECs that favors particular cell functions and pathways that are important in vessel homeostasis under increased flow. In addition, we identify specific molecular targets that are likely to contribute to adaptive remodeling under elevated flow conditions.
Project description:In order to simulate the effects of shear stress in regions of the vasculature prone to developing atherosclerosis, we subjected human umbilical vein endothelial cells to reversing shear stress, in order to mimic hemodynamic conditions at the wall of the carotid sinus, a site of complex, reversing blood flow and commonly observed atherosclerosis. We compared the effects of reversing shear stress (time-average 1 dyne/cm2, maximum +11 dynes/cm2, minimum -11 dynes/cm2, 1 Hz), arterial steady shear stress (15 dynes/cm2), and low steady shear stress (1 dyne/cm2) in terms of gene expression, cell proliferation, and monocyte adhesiveness. Microarray analysis revealed most differentially expressed genes were similarly regulated by all three shear stress regimens when compared to static culture. Comparisons of the three shear stress regimens to each other allowed identification of 138 genes regulated by low average shear stress and 22 by fluid reversal. Functional assays indicated that low average shear stress induces increased cell proliferation as compared to high shear stress. Reversing shear stress was the only condition that induced monocyte adhesion. Monocyte adhesion was partially inhibited by incubation of the endothelial cells with ICAM-1 blocking antibody. Increased surface heparin sulfate proteoglycan expression was observed in cells exposed to reversing shear stress. When these cells were treated with heparinase III monocyte adhesion was significantly reduced. Our results suggest that low steady shear stress is the major impetus for differential gene expression and cell proliferation, while reversing flow regulates monocyte adhesion.
Project description:In this study, we characterized the adaptive response of arterial endothelial cells to acute increases in shear stress magnitude in well-defined in vitro settings. Porcine endothelial cells were preconditioned by a basal level shear stress of 15 ± 15 dynes/cm2 at 1 Hz for 24 hours, and an acute increase in shear stress magnitude (30 ± 15 dynes/cm2) was then applied. The transcriptomics studies using microarray identified genes that were sensitive to the elevated shear magnitude. A significant number of the identified genes in our study are previously unknown as sensitive to shear stress. Porcine endothelial cells were preconditioned by a basal level shear stress of 15 ± 15 dynes/cm2 at 1 Hz for 24 hours, and an acute increase in shear stress magnitude (30 ± 15 dynes/cm2) was then applied. Gene expression at multiple time points was measured using microarray.
Project description:This study explores the connection between changes in gene expression and the genes that determine strain survival during suspension culture, using the model eukaryotic organism, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The Saccharomyces cerevisiae homozygous diploid deletion pool, and the BY4743 parental strain were grown for 18 hours in a rotating wall vessel, a suspension culture device optimized to minimize the delivered shear. In addition to the reduced shear conditions, the rotating wall vessels were also placed in a static position or in a shaker in order to change the amount of shear stress on the cells. Keywords: shear stress, time course
Project description:The arterial endothelium’s response to its flow environment is critical to vascular homeostasis. The endothelial glycocalyx has been shown to play a major role in mechanotransduction, but the extent to which the components of the glycocalyx affect the overall function of the endothelium remains unclear. The objective of this study was to further elucidate the role of heparan sulfate as a mechanosensor on the surface of the arterial endothelium, by (1) expanding the variety of shear waveforms investigated, (2) continuously suppressing heparan sulfate expression rather than using a pre-flow batch treatment, and (3) performing microarray analysis on post-flow samples. Porcine aortic endothelial cells were exposed to non-reversing, reversing, and oscillatory shear waveforms for 24 hours with or without continuous heparan sulfate suppression with heparinase. All shear waveforms significantly increased the amount of heparan sulfate on the surface of the endothelium. Suppression of heparan sulfate to less than 25% of control levels did not inhibit shear-induced cell alignment or nitric oxide production, or alter gene expression, for any of the shear waveforms investigated. We infer that heparan sulfate on the surface of porcine aortic endothelial cells is not the primary mechanosensor for many shear-responsive endothelial cell functions in this species. Porcine aortic endothelial cells were exposed to 3 different shear waveforms for 24 hours with or without the addition of 300 mU/ml heparinase III to the flow media. The shear waveforms inculded Non-reversing (15 ± 15 dyne/cm2, 1 Hz), Steady (15 dyne/cm2), or Oscillatory (0 ± 15 dyne/cm2, 1 Hz) shear. Four replicates of each condition were performed for a total of 24 experiments. Each experimental sample was hybridized to an oligonucleotide array along with a standard reference sample (static cells).
Project description:In this study, we characterized the adaptive response of arterial endothelial cells to acute increases in shear stress magnitude in well-defined in vitro settings. Porcine endothelial cells were preconditioned by a basal level shear stress of 15 ± 15 dynes/cm2 at 1 Hz for 24 hours, and an acute increase in shear stress magnitude (30 ± 15 dynes/cm2) was then applied. The transcriptomics studies using microarray identified genes that were sensitive to the elevated shear magnitude. A significant number of the identified genes in our study are previously unknown as sensitive to shear stress.