Rate sensitivity of shear-induced changes in the lateral diffusion of endothelial cell membrane lipids: a role for membrane perturbation in shear-induced MAPK activation

Endothelial cells differentially sense laminar and disturbed flows by altering the lipid order of their plasma and mitochondrial membranes

Endothelial cells (ECs) experience two different blood flow patterns: laminar and disturbed flow. Their responses to laminar flow contribute to vascular homeostasis, whereas their responses to disturbed flow result in EC dysfunction and vascular diseases. However, it remains unclear how ECs differentially sense laminar and disturbed flow and trigger signaling that elicits different responses. Here, we showed that ECs differentially sense laminar and disturbed flows by altering the lipid order of their plasma and mitochondrial membranes in opposite directions. This results in distinct changes in mitochondrial function, namely, increased adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production for laminar flow and increased hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) release for disturbed flow, leading to ATP- and H2O2-mediated signaling, respectively. When cultured human aortic ECs were subjected to laminar or disturbed flow in flow-loading devices, the lipid order of their plasma membranes immediately decreased in response to laminar flow and increased in response to disturbed flow. Laminar flow also decreased the lipid order of mitochondrial membranes and increased mitochondrial ATP production. In contrast, disturbed flow increased the lipid order of mitochondrial membranes and increased the release of H2O2 from the mitochondria. The addition of cholesterol to the cells increased the lipid order of both membranes and abrogated laminar flow-induced ATP production, while treatment of the cells with a cholesterol-depleting reagent, methyl-β cyclodextrin, decreased the lipid order of both membranes and abolished disturbed flow-induced H2O2 release, indicating that changes in the membrane lipid order and/or cholesterol content are closely linked to flow-induced changes in mitochondrial functions.NEW & NOTEWORTHY How vascular endothelial cells (ECs) differentially sense laminar and disturbed flows and trigger intracellular signaling remains unclear. Here, we show that EC plasma membranes act as mechanosensors to discriminate between laminar and disturbed flows by undergoing opposite changes in their lipid order. Similar lipid order changes occur simultaneously in the mitochondrial membranes, which are linked to changes in mitochondrial function, that is, increased ATP production for laminar flow and increased H2O2 release for disturbed flow.

Vascular mechanotransduction

This review aims to survey the current state of mechanotransduction in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and endothelial cells (ECs), including their sensing of mechanical stimuli and transduction of mechanical signals that result in the acute functional modulation and longer-term transcriptomic and epigenetic regulation of blood vessels. The mechanosensors discussed include ion channels, plasma membrane-associated structures and receptors, and junction proteins. The mechanosignaling pathways presented include the cytoskeleton, integrins, extracellular matrix, and intracellular signaling molecules. These are followed by discussions on mechanical regulation of transcriptome and epigenetics, relevance of mechanotransduction to health and disease, and interactions between VSMCs and ECs. Throughout this review, we offer suggestions for specific topics that require further understanding. In the closing section on conclusions and perspectives, we summarize what is known and point out the need to treat the vasculature as a system, including not only VSMCs and ECs but also the extracellular matrix and other types of cells such as resident macrophages and pericytes, so that we can fully understand the physiology and pathophysiology of the blood vessel as a whole, thus enhancing the comprehension, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of vascular diseases.

A Review of Functional Analysis of Endothelial Cells in Flow Chambers

The vascular endothelial cells constitute the innermost layer. The cells are exposed to mechanical stress by the flow, causing them to express their functions. To elucidate the functions, methods involving seeding endothelial cells as a layer in a chamber were studied. The chambers are known as parallel plate, T-chamber, step, cone plate, and stretch. The stimulated functions or signals from endothelial cells by flows are extensively connected to other outer layers of arteries or organs. The coculture layer was developed in a chamber to investigate the interaction between smooth muscle cells in the middle layer of the blood vessel wall in vascular physiology and pathology. Additionally, the microfabrication technology used to create a chamber for a microfluidic device involves both mechanical and chemical stimulation of cells to show their dynamics in in vivo microenvironments. The purpose of this study is to summarize the blood flow (flow inducing) for the functions connecting to endothelial cells and blood vessels, and to find directions for future chamber and device developments for further understanding and application of vascular functions. The relationship between chamber design flow, cell layers, and microfluidics was studied.

Diversity of Lipid Function in Atherogenesis: A Focus on Endothelial Mechanobiology

Atherosclerosis is one of the most important problems in modern medicine. Its high prevalence and social significance determine the need for a better understanding of the mechanisms of the disease's development and progression. Lipid metabolism and its disorders are one of the key links in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Lipids are involved in many processes, including those related to the mechanoreception of endothelial cells. The multifaceted role of lipids in endothelial mechanobiology and mechanisms of atherogenesis are discussed in this review. Endothelium is involved in ensuring adequate vascular hemodynamics, and changes in blood flow characteristics are detected by endothelial cells and affect their structure and function.

Shear stress activates mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation by reducing plasma membrane cholesterol in vascular endothelial cells

The mechanotransduction of shear stress in vascular endothelial cells is still not completely understood. We show a pathway of shear stress signal transduction mediated by plasma membrane cholesterol-dependent mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. The latest imaging technology using domain 4 mutant-derived cholesterol biosensors and a fluorescence resonance energy transfer-based adenosine triphosphate (ATP) biosensor revealed that shear stress rapidly decreases cholesterol levels in the plasma membrane via both efflux and internalization, and reduction in plasma membrane cholesterol was linked to the activation of mitochondrial ATP production. The addition of cholesterol blocked these shear stress effects. Increased mitochondrial ATP production led to ATP release from the endothelial cells, thereby activating purinoceptors in the plasma membrane and leading to purinergic Ca²⁺ signaling in response to shear stress.

Vascular endothelial cells (ECs) sense and respond to hemodynamic shear stress, which is critical for circulatory homeostasis and the pathophysiology of vascular diseases. The mechanisms of shear stress mechanotransduction, however, remain elusive. We previously demonstrated a direct role of mitochondria in the purinergic signaling of shear stress: shear stress increases mitochondrial adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production, triggering ATP release and Ca²⁺ signaling via EC purinoceptors. Here, we showed that shear stress rapidly decreases cholesterol in the plasma membrane, thereby activating mitochondrial ATP production. Imaging using domain 4 mutant-derived cholesterol biosensors showed that the application of shear stress to cultured ECs markedly decreased cholesterol levels in both the outer and inner plasma membrane bilayers. Flow cytometry showed that the cholesterol levels in the outer bilayer decreased rapidly after the onset of shear stress, reached a minimum (around 60% of the control level) at 10 min, and plateaued thereafter. After the shear stress ceased, the decreased cholesterol levels returned to those seen in the control. A biochemical analysis showed that shear stress caused both the efflux and the internalization of plasma membrane cholesterol. ATP biosensor imaging demonstrated that shear stress significantly increased mitochondrial ATP production. Similarly, the treatment of cells with methyl-β-cyclodextrin (MβCD), a membrane cholesterol-depleting agent, increased mitochondrial ATP production. The addition of cholesterol to cells inhibited the increasing effects of both shear stress and MβCD on mitochondrial ATP production in a dose-dependent manner. These findings indicate that plasma membrane cholesterol dynamics are closely coupled to mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation in ECs.

Remodeling of the Microvasculature: May the Blood Flow Be With You

The vasculature ensures optimal delivery of nutrients and oxygen throughout the body, and to achieve this function it must continually adapt to varying tissue demands. Newly formed vascular plexuses during development are immature and require dynamic remodeling to generate well-patterned functional networks. This is achieved by remodeling of the capillaries preserving those which are functional and eliminating other ones. A balanced and dynamically regulated capillary remodeling will therefore ensure optimal distribution of blood and nutrients to the tissues. This is particularly important in pathological contexts in which deficient or excessive vascular remodeling may worsen tissue perfusion and hamper tissue repair. Blood flow is a major determinant of microvascular reshaping since capillaries are pruned when relatively less perfused and they split when exposed to high flow in order to shape the microvascular network for optimal tissue perfusion and oxygenation. The molecular machinery underlying blood flow sensing by endothelial cells is being deciphered, but much less is known about how this translates into endothelial cell responses as alignment, polarization and directed migration to drive capillary remodeling, particularly in vivo. Part of this knowledge is theoretical from computational models since blood flow hemodynamics are not easily recapitulated by in vitro or ex vivo approaches. Moreover, these events are difficult to visualize in vivo due to their infrequency and briefness. Studies had been limited to postnatal mouse retina and vascular beds in zebrafish but new tools as advanced microscopy and image analysis are strengthening our understanding of capillary remodeling. In this review we introduce the concept of remodeling of the microvasculature and its relevance in physiology and pathology. We summarize the current knowledge on the mechanisms contributing to capillary regression and to capillary splitting highlighting the key role of blood flow to orchestrate these processes. Finally, we comment the potential and possibilities that microfluidics offers to this field. Since capillary remodeling mechanisms are often reactivated in prevalent pathologies as cancer and cardiovascular disease, all this knowledge could be eventually used to improve the functionality of capillary networks in diseased tissues and promote their repair.

Mechanobiology of dynamic enzyme systems

This Perspective paper advances a hypothesis of mechanosensation by endothelial cells in which the cell is a dynamic crowded system, driven by continuous enzyme activity, that can be shifted from one non-equilibrium state to another by external force. The nature of the shift will depend on the direction, rate of change, and magnitude of the force. Whether force induces a pathophysiological or physiological change in cell biology will be determined by whether the dynamics of a cellular system can accommodate the dynamics and magnitude of the force application. The complex interplay of non-static cytoskeletal structures governs internal cellular rheology, dynamic spatial reorganization, and chemical kinetics of proteins such as integrins, and a flaccid membrane that is dynamically supported; each may constitute the necessary dynamic properties able to sense external fluid shear stress and reorganize in two and three dimensions. The resulting reorganization of enzyme systems in the cell membrane and cytoplasm may drive the cell to a new physiological state. This review focuses on endothelial cell mechanotransduction of shear stress, but may lead to new avenues of investigation of mechanobiology in general requiring new tools for interrogation of mechanobiological systems, tools that will enable the synthesis of large amounts of spatial and temporal data at the molecular, cellular, and system levels.

A Membrane-Bound Biosensor Visualizes Shear Stress-Induced Inhomogeneous Alteration of Cell Membrane Tension

Cell membrane is the first medium from where a cell senses and responds to external stress stimuli. Exploring the tension changes in cell membrane will help us to understand intracellular force transmission. Here, a biosensor (named MSS) based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer is developed to visualize cell membrane tension. Validity of the biosensor is first verified for the detection of cell membrane tension. Results show a shear stress-induced heterogeneous distribution of membrane tension with the biosensor, which is strengthened by the disruption of microfilaments or enhancement of membrane fluidity, but weakened by the reduction of membrane fluidity or disruption of microtubules. These findings suggest that the MSS biosensor is a beneficial tool to visualize the changes and distribution of cell membrane tension. Besides, cell membrane tension does not display obvious polar distribution, indicating that cellular polarity changes do not first occur on the cell membrane during mechanical transmission.

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A FRET-based biosensor (named MSS) is developed to study cell membrane tension

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MSS is a beneficial tool to visualize the distribution of membrane tension

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Membrane tension is inhomogeneous in response to shear stress

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Membrane tension does not display polar distribution during mechanotransduction

Heterogeneous Cytoskeletal Force Distribution Delineates the Onset Ca2+ Influx Under Fluid Shear Stress in Astrocytes

Mechanical perturbations increase intracellular Ca²⁺ in cells, but the coupling of mechanical forces to the Ca²⁺ influx is not well understood. We used a microfluidic chamber driven with a high-speed pressure servo to generate defined fluid shear stress to cultured astrocytes, and simultaneously measured cytoskeletal forces using a force sensitive actinin optical sensor and intracellular Ca²⁺. Fluid shear generated non-uniform forces in actinin that critically depended on the stimulus rise time emphasizing the presence of viscoelasticity in the activating sequence. A short (ms) shear pulse with fast rise time (2 ms) produced an immediate increase in actinin tension at the upstream end of the cell with minimal changes at the downstream end. The onset of Ca²⁺ rise began at highly strained areas. In contrast to stimulus steps, slow ramp stimuli produced uniform forces throughout the cells and only a small Ca²⁺ response. The heterogeneity of force distribution is exaggerated in cells having fewer stress fibers and lower pre-tension in actinin. Disruption of cytoskeleton with cytochalasin-D (Cyt-D) eliminated force gradients, and in those cells Ca²⁺ elevation started from the soma. Thus, Ca²⁺ influx with a mechanical stimulus depends on local stress within the cell and that is time dependent due to viscoelastic mechanics.

Mechanobiology in vascular remodeling

Vascular remodeling is a common pathological process in cardiovascular diseases and includes changes in cell proliferation, apoptosis and differentiation as well as vascular homeostasis. Mechanical stresses, such as shear stress and cyclic stretch, play an important role in vascular remodeling. Vascular cells can sense the mechanical factors through cell membrane proteins, cytoskeletons and nuclear envelope proteins to initiate mechanotransduction, which involves intercellular signaling, gene expression, and protein expression to result in functional regulations. Non-coding RNAs, including microRNAs and long non-coding RNAs, are involved in the regulation of vascular remodeling processes. Mechanotransduction triggers a cascade reaction process through a complicated signaling network in cells. High-throughput technologies in combination with functional studies targeting some key hubs and bridging nodes of the network can enable the prioritization of potential targets for subsequent investigations of clinical translation. Vascular mechanobiology, as a new frontier field of biomechanics, searches for principles of stress-growth in vasculature to elucidate how mechanical factors induce biological effects that lead to vascular remodeling, with the goal of understanding the mechanical basis of the pathological mechanism of cardiovascular diseases at the cellular and molecular levels. Vascular mechanobiology will play a unique role in solving the key scientific problems of human physiology and disease, as well as generating important theoretical and clinical results.

Visualizing the spatiotemporal map of Rac activation in bovine aortic endothelial cells under laminar and disturbed flows

Disturbed flow can eliminate the alignment of endothelial cells in the direction of laminar flow, and significantly impacts on atherosclerosis in collateral arteries near the bifurcation and high curvature regions. While shear stress induced Rac polarity has been shown to play crucial roles in cell polarity and migration, little is known about the spatiotemporal map of Rac under disturbed flow, and the mechanism of flow-induced cell polarity still needs to be elucidated. In this paper, disturbed flow or laminar flow with 15 dyn/cm2 of average shear stress was applied on bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs) for 30 minutes. A genetically-encoded PAK-PBD-GFP reporter was transfected into BAECs to visualize the real-time activation of Rac in living cell under fluorescence microscope. The imaging of the fluorescence intensity was analyzed by Matlab and the normalized data was converted into 3D spatiotemporal map. Then the changes of data upon chemical interference were fitted with logistic curve to explore the rule and mechanism of Rac polarity under laminar or disturbed flow. A polarized Rac activation was observed at the downstream edge along the laminar flow, which was enhanced by benzol alcohol-enhanced membrane fluidity but inhibited by nocodazole-disrupted microtubules or cholesterol-inhibited membrane fluidity, while no obvious polarized Rac activation could be found upon disturbed flow application. It is concluded that disturbed flow inhibits the flow-induced Rac polarized activation, which is related to the interaction of cell membrane and cytoskeleton, especially the microtubules.

Nuclear envelope proteins modulate proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells during cyclic stretch application

Cyclic stretch is an important inducer of vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation, which is crucial in vascular remodeling during hypertension. However, the molecular mechanism remains unclear. We studied the effects of emerin and lamin A/C, two important nuclear envelope proteins, on VSMC proliferation in hypertension and the underlying mechano-mechanisms. In common carotid artery of hypertensive rats in vivo and in cultured cells subjected to high (15%) cyclic stretch in vitro, VSMC proliferation was increased significantly, and the expression of emerin and lamin A/C was repressed compared with normotensive or normal (5%) cyclic stretch controls. Using targeted siRNA to mimic the repressed expression of emerin or lamin A/C induced by 15% stretch, we found that VSMC proliferation was enhanced under static and 5%-stretch conditions. Overexpression of emerin or lamin A/C reversed VSMC proliferation induced by 15% stretch. Hence, emerin and lamin A/C play critical roles in suppressing VSMC hyperproliferation induced by hyperstretch. ChIP-on-chip and MOTIF analyses showed that the DNAs binding with emerin contain three transcription factor motifs: CCNGGA, CCMGCC, and ABTTCCG; DNAs binding with lamin A/C contain the motifs CVGGAA, GCCGCYGC, and DAAGAAA. Protein/DNA array proved that altered emerin or lamin A/C expression modulated the activation of various transcription factors. Furthermore, accelerating local expression of emerin or lamin A/C reversed cell proliferation in the carotid artery of hypertensive rats in vivo. Our findings establish the pathogenetic role of emerin and lamin A/C repression in stretch-induced VSMC proliferation and suggest mechanobiological mechanism underlying this process that involves the sequence-specific binding of emerin and lamin A/C to specific transcription factor motifs.

Vascular endothelial cell membranes differentiate between stretch and shear stress through transitions in their lipid phases

Vascular endothelial cells (ECs) respond to the hemodynamic forces stretch and shear stress by altering their morphology, functions, and gene expression. However, how they sense and differentiate between these two forces has remained unknown. Here we report that the plasma membrane itself differentiates between stretch and shear stress by undergoing transitions in its lipid phases. Uniaxial stretching and hypotonic swelling increased the lipid order of human pulmonary artery EC plasma membranes, thereby causing a transition from the liquid-disordered phase to the liquid-ordered phase in some areas, along with a decrease in membrane fluidity. In contrast, shear stress decreased the membrane lipid order and increased membrane fluidity. A similar increase in lipid order occurred when the artificial lipid bilayer membranes of giant unilamellar vesicles were stretched by hypotonic swelling, indicating that this is a physical phenomenon. The cholesterol content of EC plasma membranes significantly increased in response to stretch but clearly decreased in response to shear stress. Blocking these changes in the membrane lipid order by depleting membrane cholesterol with methyl-β-cyclodextrin or by adding cholesterol resulted in a marked inhibition of the EC response specific to stretch and shear stress, i.e., phosphorylation of PDGF receptors and phosphorylation of VEGF receptors, respectively. These findings indicate that EC plasma membranes differently respond to stretch and shear stress by changing their lipid order, fluidity, and cholesterol content in opposite directions and that these changes in membrane physical properties are involved in the mechanotransduction that activates membrane receptors specific to each force.

Cholesterol affects flow-stimulated cyclooxygenase-2 expression and prostanoid secretion in the cortical collecting duct

Essential hypertension (eHTN) is associated with hypercholesterolemia, but how cholesterol contributes to eHTN is unknown. Recent evidence demonstrates that short-term dietary cholesterol ingestion induces epithelial Na channel (ENaC)-dependent Na absorption with a subsequent rise in blood pressure (BP), implicating cholesterol in salt-sensitive HTN. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), an autocrine/paracrine molecule, is induced by flow in endothelia to vasodilate the vasculature and inhibit ENaC-dependent Na absorption in the renal collecting duct (CD), which reduce BP. We hypothesize that cholesterol suppresses flow-mediated cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression and PGE2 release in the CD, which, in turn, affects Na absorption. Cortical CDs (CCDs) were microperfused at 0, 1, and 5 nl·min(-1)·mm(-1), and PGE2 release was measured. Secreted PGE2 was similar between no- and low-flow (151 ± 28 vs. 121 ± 48 pg·ml(-1)·mm(-1)) CCDs, but PGE2 was greatest from high-flow (578 ± 146 pg·ml(-1)·mm(-1); P < 0.05) CCDs. Next, mice were fed either a 0 or 1% cholesterol diet, injected with saline to generate high urine flow rates, and CCDs were microdissected for PGE2 secretion. CCDs isolated from cholesterol-fed mice secreted less PGE2 and had a lower PGE2-generating capacity than CCDs isolated from control mice, implying cholesterol repressed flow-induced PGE2 synthesis. Next, cholesterol extraction in a CD cell line induced COX-2 expression and PGE2 release while cholesterol incorporation, conversely, suppressed their expression. Moreover, fluid shear stress (FSS) and cholesterol extraction induced COX-2 protein abundance via p38-dependent activation. Thus cellular cholesterol composition affects biomechanical signaling, which, in turn, affects FSS-mediated COX-2 expression and PGE2 release via a p38-dependent mechanism.

RhoA and membrane fluidity mediates the spatially polarized Src/FAK activation in response to shear stress

While Src plays crucial roles in shear stress-induced cellular processes, little is known on the spatiotemporal pattern of high shear stress (HSS)-induced Src activation. HSS (65 dyn/cm²) was applied on bovine aortic endothelial cells to visualize the dynamic Src activation at subcellular levels utilizing a membrane-targeted Src biosensor (Kras-Src) based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). A polarized Src activation was observed with higher activity at the side facing the flow, which was enhanced by a cytochalasin D-mediated disruption of actin filaments but inhibited by a benzyl alcohol-mediated enhancement of membrane fluidity. Further experiments revealed that HSS decreased RhoA activity, with a constitutively active RhoA mutant inhibiting while a negative RhoA mutant enhancing the HSS-induced Src polarity. Cytochalasin D can restore the polarity in cells expressing the active RhoA mutant. Further results indicate that HSS stimulates FAK activation with a spatial polarity similar to Src. The inhibition of Src by PP1, as well as the perturbation of RhoA activity and membrane fluidity, can block this HSS-induced FAK polarity. These results indicate that the HSS-induced Src and subsequently FAK polarity depends on the coordination between intracellular tension distribution regulated by RhoA, its related actin structures and the plasma membrane fluidity.

Single-cell imaging of mechanotransduction in endothelial cells

Endothelial cells (ECs) are constantly exposed to chemical and mechanical microenvironment in vivo. In mechanotransduction, cells can sense and translate the extracellular mechanical cues into intracellular biochemical signals, to regulate cellular processes. This regulation is crucial for many physiological functions, such as cell adhesion, migration, proliferation, and survival, as well as the progression of disease such as atherosclerosis. Here, we overview the current molecular understanding of mechanotransduction in ECs associated with atherosclerosis, especially those in response to physiological shear stress. The enabling technology of live-cell imaging has allowed the study of spatiotemporal molecular events and unprecedented understanding of intracellular signaling responses in mechanotransduction. Hence, we also introduce recent studies on mechanotransduction using single-cell imaging technologies.

Rapid cortisol signaling in response to acute stress involves changes in plasma membrane order in rainbow trout liver

The activation of genomic signaling in response to stressor-mediated cortisol elevation has been studied extensively in teleosts. However, very little is known about the rapid signaling events elicited by this steroid. We tested the hypothesis that cortisol modulates key stress-related signaling pathways in response to an acute stressor in fish liver. To this end, we investigated the effect of an acute stressor on biophysical properties of plasma membrane and on stressor-related protein phosphorylation in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) liver. A role for cortisol in modulating the acute cellular stress response was ascertained by blocking the stressor-induced elevation of this steroid by metyrapone. The acute stressor exposure increased plasma cortisol levels and liver membrane fluidity (measured by anisotropy of 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene), but these responses were abolished by metyrapone. Atomic force microscopy further confirmed biophysical alterations in liver plasma membrane in response to stress, including changes in membrane domain topography. The changes in membrane order did not correspond to any changes in membrane fatty acid components after stress, suggesting that changes in membrane structure may be associated with cortisol incorporation into the lipid bilayer. Plasma cortisol elevation poststress correlated positively with activation of intracellular stress signaling pathways, including increased phosphorylation of extracellular signal-related kinases as well as several putative PKA and PKC but not Akt substrate proteins. Together, our results indicate that stressor-induced elevation of plasma cortisol level is associated with alterations in plasma membrane fluidity and rapid activation of stress-related signaling pathways in trout liver.

Cell mechanosensitivity: mechanical properties and interaction with gravitational field

This paper addressed the possible mechanisms of primary reception of a mechanical stimulus by different cells. Data concerning the stiffness of muscle and nonmuscle cells as measured by atomic force microscopy are provided. The changes in the mechanical properties of cells that occur under changed external mechanical tension are presented, and the initial stages of mechanical signal transduction are considered. The possible mechanism of perception of different external mechanical signals by cells is suggested.

Bioreactors to influence stem cell fate: augmentation of mesenchymal stem cell signaling pathways via dynamic culture systems

BACKGROUND

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a promising cell source for bone and cartilage tissue engineering as they can be easily isolated from the body and differentiated into osteoblasts and chondrocytes. A cell based tissue engineering strategy using MSCs often involves the culture of these cells on three-dimensional scaffolds; however the size of these scaffolds and the cell population they can support can be restricted in traditional static culture. Thus dynamic culture in bioreactor systems provides a promising means to culture and differentiate MSCs in vitro.

SCOPE OF REVIEW

This review seeks to characterize key MSC differentiation signaling pathways and provides evidence as to how dynamic culture is augmenting these pathways. Following an overview of dynamic culture systems, discussion will be provided on how these systems can effectively modify and maintain important culture parameters including oxygen content and shear stress. Literature is reviewed for both a highlight of key signaling pathways and evidence for regulation of these signaling pathways via dynamic culture systems.

MAJOR CONCLUSIONS

The ability to understand how these culture systems are affecting MSC signaling pathways could lead to a shear or oxygen regime to direct stem cell differentiation. In this way the efficacy of in vitro culture and differentiation of MSCs on three-dimensional scaffolds could be greatly increased.

GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE

Bioreactor systems have the ability to control many key differentiation stimuli including mechanical stress and oxygen content. The further integration of cell signaling investigations within dynamic culture systems will lead to a quicker realization of the promise of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Biochemistry of Stem Cells.

The importance of velocity acceleration to flow-mediated dilation

The validity of the flow-mediated dilation test has been questioned due to the lack of normalization to the primary stimulus, shear stress. Shear stress can be calculated using Poiseuille's law. However, little attention has been given to the most appropriate blood velocity parameter(s) for calculating shear stress. The pulsatile nature of blood flow exposes the endothelial cells to two distinct shear stimuli during the cardiac cycle: a large rate of change in shear at the onset of flow (velocity acceleration), followed by a steady component. The parameter typically entered into the Poiseuille's law equation to determine shear stress is time-averaged blood velocity, with no regard for flow pulsatility. This paper will discuss (1) the limitations of using Posieuille's law to estimate shear stress and (2) the importance of the velocity profile-with emphasis on velocity acceleration-to endothelial function and vascular tone.

Terpenoids inhibit Candida albicans growth by affecting membrane integrity and arrest of cell cycle

Anti-Candida potential of six terpenoids were evaluated in this study against various isolates of Candida albicans (n=39) and non-C. albicans (n=9) that are differentially susceptible to fluconazole. All the six terpenoids tested, showed excellent activity and were equally effective against isolates of Candida sps., tested in this study. Linalool and citral were the most effective ones, inhibiting all the isolates at ≤0.064% (v/v). Five among the six terpenoids tested were fungicidal. Time dependent kill curve assay showed that MFCs of linalool and eugenol were highly toxic to C. albicans, killing 99.9% inoculum within seven min of exposure, while that of citronellal, linalyl acetate and citral required 15min, 1h and 2h, respectively. FIC index values (Linalool - 0.140, benzyl benzoate - 0.156, eugenol - 0.265, citral - 0.281 and 0.312 for linalyl acetate and citronellal) and isobologram obtained by checker board assay showed that all the six terpenoids tested exhibit excellent synergistic activity with fluconazole against a fluconazole resistant strain of C. albicans. Terpenoids tested arrested C. albicans cells at different phases of the cell cycle i.e. linalool and LA at G1, citral and citronellal at S phase and benzyl benzoate at G2-M phase and induced apoptosis. Linalool, citral, citronellal and benzyl benzoate caused more than 50% inhibition of germ tube induction at 0.008%, while eugenol and LA required 0.032 and 0.016% (v/v) concentrations, respectively. MICs of all the terpenoids for the C. albicans growth were non toxic to HeLa cells. Terpenoids tested exhibited excellent activity against C. albicans yeast and hyphal form growth at the concentrations that are non toxic to HeLa cells. Terpenoids tested in this study may find use in antifungal chemotherapy, not only as antifungal agents but also as synergistic agents along with conventional drugs like fluconazole.

Membrane cholesterol modulates the fluid shear stress response of polymorphonuclear leukocytes via its effects on membrane fluidity

Continuous exposure of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNLs) to circulatory hemodynamics points to fluid flow as a biophysical regulator of their activity. Specifically, fluid flow-derived shear stresses deactivate leukocytes via actions on the conformational activities of proteins on the cell surface. Because membrane properties affect activities of membrane-bound proteins, we hypothesized that changes in the physical properties of cell membranes influence PMNL sensitivity to fluid shear stress. For this purpose, we modified PMNL membranes and showed that the cellular mechanosensitivity to shear was impaired whether we increased, reduced, or disrupted the organization of cholesterol within the lipid bilayer. Notably, PMNLs with enriched membrane cholesterol exhibited attenuated pseudopod retraction responses to shear that were recovered by select concentrations of benzyl alcohol (a membrane fluidizer). In fact, PMNL responses to shear positively correlated (R(2) = 0.96; P < 0.0001) with cholesterol-related membrane fluidity. Moreover, in low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient (LDLr(-/-)) mice fed a high-fat diet (a hypercholesterolemia model), PMNL shear-responses correlated (R(2) = 0.5; P < 0.01) with blood concentrations of unesterified (i.e., free) cholesterol. In this regard, the shear-responses of PMNLs gradually diminished and eventually reversed as free cholesterol levels in blood increased during 8 wk of the high-fat diet. Collectively, our results provided evidence that cholesterol is an important component of the PMNL mechanotransducing capacity and elevated membrane cholesterol impairs PMNL shear-responses at least partially through its impact on membrane fluidity. This cholesterol-linked perturbation may contribute to dysregulated PMNL activity (e.g., chronic inflammation) related to hypercholesterolemia and causal for cardiovascular pathologies (e.g., atherosclerosis).

A miniature Couette to generate shear for flow cytometry: studying real-time modulation of intracellular calcium in monocytic cells

Extracellular hydrodynamic forces may be transmitted to the interior of cells through the alteration of integrin conformation and affinity. Integrin activation regulates leukocyte recruitment, cell activation, and transmigration. The cellular and molecular mechanisms for integrin activation are not precisely known, although intracellular calcium signaling is involved. Flow cytometry offers a versatile way to study intracellular calcium signaling in real-time. We report a novel method to generate defined shear by using a miniature Couette. Testing involved measuring shear-induced intracellular calcium signals of human monoblastoid U937 cells in suspension. The Couette was connected externally to a flow cytometer and pressurized at 6 PSI (4.1 N/m(2) ). Cells were subjected to a well-defined shear between 0 and 1,000 s(-1) and delivered continuously within 10 s to a FACScan at 1 μl/s. Intracellular calcium levels and the percentage of cells activated increased as shear increased in duration and intensity.

Effects of disturbed flow on vascular endothelium: pathophysiological basis and clinical perspectives

Vascular endothelial cells (ECs) are exposed to hemodynamic forces, which modulate EC functions and vascular biology/pathobiology in health and disease. The flow patterns and hemodynamic forces are not uniform in the vascular system. In straight parts of the arterial tree, blood flow is generally laminar and wall shear stress is high and directed; in branches and curvatures, blood flow is disturbed with nonuniform and irregular distribution of low wall shear stress. Sustained laminar flow with high shear stress upregulates expressions of EC genes and proteins that are protective against atherosclerosis, whereas disturbed flow with associated reciprocating, low shear stress generally upregulates the EC genes and proteins that promote atherogenesis. These findings have led to the concept that the disturbed flow pattern in branch points and curvatures causes the preferential localization of atherosclerotic lesions. Disturbed flow also results in postsurgical neointimal hyperplasia and contributes to pathophysiology of clinical conditions such as in-stent restenosis, vein bypass graft failure, and transplant vasculopathy, as well as aortic valve calcification. In the venous system, disturbed flow resulting from reflux, outflow obstruction, and/or stasis leads to venous inflammation and thrombosis, and hence the development of chronic venous diseases. Understanding of the effects of disturbed flow on ECs can provide mechanistic insights into the role of complex flow patterns in pathogenesis of vascular diseases and can help to elucidate the phenotypic and functional differences between quiescent (nonatherogenic/nonthrombogenic) and activated (atherogenic/thrombogenic) ECs. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the role of disturbed flow in EC physiology and pathophysiology, as well as its clinical implications. Such information can contribute to our understanding of the etiology of lesion development in vascular niches with disturbed flow and help to generate new approaches for therapeutic interventions.

Atomistic simulation of lipid and DiI dynamics in membrane bilayers under tension

Membrane tension modulates cellular processes by initiating changes in the dynamics of its molecular constituents. To quantify the precise relationship between tension, structural properties of the membrane, and the dynamics of lipids and a lipophilic reporter dye, we performed atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of DiI-labeled dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) lipid bilayers under physiological lateral tensions ranging from -2.6 mN m(-1) to 15.9 mN m(-1). Simulations showed that the bilayer thickness decreased linearly with tension consistent with volume-incompressibility, and this thinning was facilitated by a significant increase in acyl chain interdigitation at the bilayer midplane and spreading of the acyl chains. Tension caused a significant drop in the bilayer's peak electrostatic potential, which correlated with the strong reordering of water and lipid dipoles. For the low tension regime, the DPPC lateral diffusion coefficient increased with increasing tension in accordance with free-area theory. For larger tensions, free area theory broke down due to tension-induced changes in molecular shape and friction. Simulated DiI rotational and lateral diffusion coefficients were lower than those of DPPC but increased with tension in a manner similar to DPPC. Direct correlation of membrane order and viscosity near the DiI chromophore, which was just under the DPPC headgroup, indicated that measured DiI fluorescence lifetime, which is reported to decrease with decreasing lipid order, is likely to be a good reporter of tension-induced decreases in lipid headgroup viscosity. Together, these results offer new molecular-level insights into membrane tension-related mechanotransduction and into the utility of DiI in characterizing tension-induced changes in lipid packing.

Endothelial Cell Membrane Sensitivity to Shear Stress is Lipid Domain Dependent

Blood flow-associated shear stress causes physiological and pathophysiological biochemical processes in endothelial cells that may be initiated by alterations in plasma membrane lipid domains characterized as liquid-ordered (l(o)), such as rafts or caveolae, or liquid-disordered (l(d)). To test for domain-dependent shear sensitivity, we used time-correlated single photon counting instrumentation to assess the photophysics and dynamics of the domain-selective lipid analogues DiI-C(12) and DiI-C(18) in endothelial cells subjected to physiological fluid shear stress. Under static conditions, DiI-C(12) fluorescence lifetime was less than DiI-C(18) lifetime and the diffusion coefficient of DiI-C(12) was greater than the DiI-C(18) diffusion coefficient, confirming that DiI-C(12) probes l(d), a more fluid membrane environment, and DiI-C(18) probes the l(o) phase. Domains probed by DiI-C(12) exhibited an early (10 s) and transient decrease of fluorescence lifetime after the onset of shear while domains probed by DiI-C(18) exhibited a delayed decrease of fluorescence lifetime that was sustained for the 2 min the cells were subjected to flow. The diffusion coefficient of DiI-C(18) increased after shear imposition, while that of DiI-C(12) remained constant. Determination of the number of molecules (N) in the control volume suggested that DiI-C(12)-labeled domains increased in N immediately after step-shear, while N for DiI-C(18)-stained membrane transiently decreased. These results demonstrate that membrane microdomains are differentially sensitive to fluid shear stress.

The effects of acute and chronic exercise on the vasculature

Regular physical activity (endurance training, ET) has a strong positive link with cardiovascular health. The aim of this review is to draw together the current knowledge on gene expression in different cell types comprising the vessels of the circulatory system, with special emphasis on the endothelium, and how these gene products interact to influence vascular health. The effect beneficial effects of ET on the endothelium are believed to result from increased vascular shear stress during ET bouts. A number of mechanosensory mechanisms have been elucidated that may contribute to the effects of ET on vascular function, but there are questions regarding interactions among molecular pathways. For instance, increases in flow brought on by ET can reduce circulating levels of viscosity and haemostatic and inflammatory variables that may interact with increased shear stress, releasing vasoactive substances such as nitric oxide and prostacyclin, decreasing permeability to plasma lipoproteins as well as the adhesion of leucocytes. At this time the optimal rate-of-flow and rate-of-change in flow for determining whether anti-atherogenic or pro-atherogenic processes proceed remain unknown. In addition, the impact of haemodynamic variables differs with vessel size and tissue type in which arteries are located. While the hurdles to understanding the mechanism responsible for ET-induced alterations in vascular cell gene expression are significant, they in no way undermine the established benefits of regular physical activity to the cardiovascular system and to general overall health. This review summarizes current understanding of control of vascular cell gene expression by exercise and how these processes lead to improved cardiovascular health.

Surfactant properties differentially influence intravascular gas embolism mechanics

Gas bubble motion in a blood vessel causes temporal and spatial gradients of shear stress at the cell surface lining the vessel wall as the bubble approaches the cell, moves over it and passes it by. Rapid reversals occur in the sign of the shear stress imparted to the cell surface during this motion. These may result in injury to the cell. The presence of a soluble surfactant in the bulk medium reduces the level of the shear stress gradients imparted to the cell surface as compared to an equivalent surfactant-free system and is an important therapeutic aid. This is particularly true for a very small vessel. In this study, we analyze various physical and chemical properties of any given soluble surfactant to ascertain the relative significance of the property of the surfactant on the reduction in the level of the shear stress gradients imparted to the cell surface in such a vessel. While adsorption, desorption, and maximum possible monolayer interface surfactant concentration significantly impact the shear stress levels, physical properties such as the bulk or surface diffusivity do not appear to have large effects. At a given diameter, surfactants with k(a)/(k(d)d>O(10)⁻⁵ and Γ(∞)/C(0)d>9.5 x 10⁻⁴ are noted to be preferable from the point of view of an increased gap size between the bubble and vessel wall, and a corresponding reduction in the shear stress level imparted to an endothelial cell. The shear stress characteristics of nearly occluding bubbles, in contrast with smaller sized bubbles under identical conditions, are most affected by the introduction of a surfactant in regard to shear stress levels. These observations could form a basis for choosing surfactants in treating gas embolism related illnesses.

Shear-induced endothelial cell-cell junction inclination

Atheroprone regions of the arterial circulation are characterized by time-varying, reversing, and oscillatory wall shear stress. Several in vivo and in vitro studies have demonstrated that flow reversal (retrograde flow) is atherogenic and proinflammatory. The molecular and structural basis for the sensitivity of the endothelium to flow direction, however, has yet to be determined. It has been hypothesized that the ability to sense flow direction is dependent on the direction of inclination of the interendothelial junction. Immunostaining of the mouse aorta revealed an inclination of the cell-cell junction by 13 degrees in direction of flow in the descending aorta where flow is unidirectional. In contrast, polygonal cells of the inner curvature where flow is disturbed did not have any preferential inclination. Using a membrane specific dye, the angle of inclination of the junction was dynamically monitored using live cell confocal microscopy in confluent human endothelial cell monolayers. Upon application of shear the junctions began inclining within minutes to a final angle of 10 degrees in direction of flow. Retrograde flow led to a reversal of junctional inclination. Flow-induced junctional inclination was shown to be independent of the cytoskeleton or glycocalyx. Additionally, within seconds, retrograde flow led to significantly higher intracellular calcium responses than orthograde flow. Together, these results show for the first time that the endothelial intercellular junction inclination is dynamically responsive to flow direction and confers the ability to endothelial cells to rapidly sense and adapt to flow direction.

Lymphatic endothelial cells adapt their barrier function in response to changes in shear stress

BACKGROUND

Lymphatic endothelial cells form an important barrier necessary for normal lymph formation and propulsion. However, little is known about how physical forces within lymphatic vessels affect endothelial barrier function. The purpose of this study was to characterize how laminar flow affects lymphatic endothelial barrier function and to test whether endothelial cells respond to flow changes by activating the intracellular actin cytoskeleton to enhance barrier function.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Cultured adult human dermal microlymphatic endothelial cells (HMLEC-d) were grown on small gold electrodes arranged within a flow channel, and transendothelial electrical resistance (TER), an index of barrier function, was determined. Laminar flow was applied to the cells at a baseline shear stress of 0.5 dynes/cm(2), and was increased to 2.5, 5.0, or 9.0 dynes/cm(2), causing a magnitude-dependent increase in barrier function that was reversed 30 min later when the shear stress was returned to baseline. This response was abolished by blockade of actin dynamics with 10 microM phalloidin, and significantly inhibited by blockade of Rac1 activity with 50 microM NSC23766. Blockade of protein kinase A (10 microM H-89) did not inhibit the response. Mathematical modeling based on our impedance data showed that the flow-induced changes in TER were primarily due to altered current flow between cells and not beneath cells.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that lymphatic endothelial cells dynamically alter their morphology and barrier function in response to changes in shear stress by a mechanism dependent upon Rac1-mediated actin dynamics.

Vascular endothelial responses to altered shear stress: pathologic implications for atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis preferentially develops at branches and curvatures of the arterial tree, where blood flow is disturbed from a laminar pattern, and wall shear stress is non-uniform and has an irregular distribution. Vascular endothelial cells (ECs), which form an interface between the flowing blood and the vessel wall, are exposed to blood flow-induced shear stress. There is increasing evidence suggesting that laminar blood flow and sustained high shear stress modulate the expression of EC genes and proteins that function to protect against atherosclerosis; in contrast, disturbed blood flow and the associated low and reciprocating shear stress upregulate proatherosclerotic genes and proteins that promote development of atherosclerosis. Understanding of the effects of shear stress on ECs will provide mechanistic insights into its role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. The aim of this review article is to summarize current findings on the effects of shear stress on ECs, in terms of their signal transduction, gene expression, structure, and function. These endothelial cellular responses have important relevance to understanding the pathophysiological effects of altered shear stress associated with atherosclerosis and thrombosis and their complications.

Fluorescence proteins, live-cell imaging, and mechanobiology: seeing is believing

Fluorescence proteins (FPs) have been widely used for live-cell imaging in the past decade. This review summarizes the recent advances in FP development and imaging technologies using FPs to monitor molecular localization and activities and gene expressions in live cells. We also discuss the utilization of FPs to develop molecular biosensors and the principles and application of advanced technologies such as fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP), fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM), and chromophore-assisted light inactivation (CALI). We present examples of the application of FPs and biosensors to visualize mechanotransduction events with high spatiotemporal resolutions in live cells. These live-cell imaging technologies, which represent a frontier area in biomedical engineering, can shed new light on the mechanisms regulating mechanobiology at cellular and molecular levels in normal and pathophysiological conditions.

Molecular dynamics simulations of DiI-C18(3) in a DPPC lipid bilayer

We performed a 40 ns simulation of 1,1'-dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate (DiI-C18(3)) in a 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidyl choline (DPPC) bilayer in order to facilitate interpretation of lipid dynamics and membrane structure from fluorescence lifetime, anisotropy, and fluorescence correlations spectroscopy (FCS). Incorporation of DiI of 1.6 to 3.2 mol% induced negligible changes in area per lipid but detectable increases in bilayer thickness, each of which are indicators of membrane structural perturbation. The DiI chromophore angle was 77 +/- 17 degrees with respect to the bilayer normal, consistent with rotational diffusion inferred from polarization studies. The DiI headgroup was located 0.63 nm below the lipid head group-water interface, a novel result in contrast to some popular cartoon representations of DiI but consistent with DiI's increase in quantum yield when incorporated into lipid bilayers. Importantly, the fast component of rotational anisotropy matched published experimental results demonstrating that sufficient free volume exists at the sub-interfacial region to support fast rotations. Simulations with non-charged DiI head groups exhibited DiI flip-flop, demonstrating that the positively-charged chromophore stabilizes the orientation and location of DiI in a single monolayer. DiI induced detectable changes in interfacial properties of water ordering, electrostatic potential, and changes in P-N vector orientation of DPPC lipids. The diffusion coefficient of DiI (9.7 +/- 0.02 x 10(-8) cm2 s(-1)) was similar to the diffusion of DPPC molecules (10.7 +/- 0.04 x 10(-8) cm2 s(-1)), supporting the conclusion that DiI dynamics reflect lipid dynamics. These results provide the first atomistic level insight into DiI dynamics, results essential in elucidating lipid dynamics through single molecule fluorescence studies.

Macrorheology and adaptive microrheology of endothelial cells subjected to fluid shear stress

Vascular endothelial cells (ECs) respond to temporal and spatial characteristics of hemodynamic forces by alterations in their adhesiveness to leukocytes, secretion of vasodilators, and permeability to blood-borne constituents. These physiological and pathophysiological changes are tied to adaptation of cell mechanics and mechanotransduction, the process by which cells convert forces to intracellular biochemical signals. The exact time scales of these mechanical adaptations, however, remain unknown. We used particle-tracking microrheology to study adaptive changes in intracellular mechanics in response to a step change in fluid shear stress, which simulates both rapid temporal and steady features of hemodynamic forces. Results indicate that ECs become significantly more compliant as early as 30 s after a step change in shear stress from 0 to 10 dyn/cm(2) followed by recovery of viscoelastic parameters within 4 min of shearing, even though shear stress was maintained. After ECs were sheared for 5 min, return of shear stress to 0 dyn/cm(2) in a stepwise manner did not result in any further rheological adaptation. Average vesicle displacements were used to determine time-dependent cell deformation and macrorheological parameters by fitting creep function to a linear viscoelastic liquid model. Characteristic time and magnitude for shear-induced deformation were 3 s and 50 nm, respectively. We conclude that ECs rapidly adapt their mechanical properties in response to shear stress, and we provide the first macrorheological parameters for time-dependent deformations of ECs to a physiological forcing function. Such studies provide insight into pathologies such as atherosclerosis, which may find their origins in EC mechanics.

Can the stress protein response be controlled by 'membrane-lipid therapy'?

In addition to high temperature, other stresses and clinical conditions such as cancer and diabetes can lead to the alteration of heat-shock protein (HSP) levels in cells. Moreover, HSPs can associate with either specific lipids or with areas of special membrane topology (such as lipid rafts), and changes in the physical state of cellular membranes can alter hsp gene expression. We propose that membrane microheterogeneity is important for regulating the HSP response. In support of this hypothesis, when particular membrane intercalating compounds are used to alter membrane properties, the simultaneous normalization of dysregulated expression of HSPs causes beneficial responses to disease states. Therefore, these compounds (such as hydroxylamine derivatives) have the potential to become a new class of pharmaceuticals for use in 'membrane-lipid therapy'.

Probing the molecular-scale lipid bilayer response to shear flow using nonequilibrium molecular dynamics

A nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulation of the response of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) bilayers to a solvent shear flow is presented. Application of shear flow to planar, stationary DMPC bilayers results in a redistribution of the membrane density profile along the bilayer normal due to the alignment of the lipids in the direction of flow and an increase in average lipid chain length. An increase in the intermolecular and intramolecular order of the lipids in response to the shear flow is also observed. This study provides groundwork for understanding the mechanism of the full response of lipid bilayers to externally imposed solvent shear flows, beginning with the response in the absence of collective lipid motions such as undulations and bilayer flow.

Mechanotransduction and endothelial cell homeostasis: the wisdom of the cell

Vascular endothelial cells (ECs) play significant roles in regulating circulatory functions. Mechanical stimuli, including the stretch and shear stress resulting from circulatory pressure and flow, modulate EC functions by activating mechanosensors, signaling pathways, and gene and protein expressions. Mechanical forces with a clear direction (e.g., the pulsatile shear stress and the uniaxial circumferential stretch existing in the straight part of the arterial tree) cause only transient molecular signaling of pro-inflammatory and proliferative pathways, which become downregulated when such directed mechanical forces are sustained. In contrast, mechanical forces without a definitive direction (e.g., disturbed flow and relatively undirected stretch seen at branch points and other regions of complex geometry) cause sustained molecular signaling of pro-inflammatory and proliferative pathways. The EC responses to directed mechanical stimuli involve the remodeling of EC structure to minimize alterations in intracellular stress/strain and elicit adaptive changes in EC signaling in the face of sustained stimuli; these cellular events constitute a feedback control mechanism to maintain vascular homeostasis and are atheroprotective. Such a feedback mechanism does not operate effectively in regions of complex geometry, where the mechanical stimuli do not have clear directions, thus placing these areas at risk for atherogenesis. The mechanotransduction-induced EC adaptive processes in the straight part of the aorta represent a case of the “Wisdom of the Cell,” as a part of the more general concept of the “Wisdom of the Body” promulgated by Cannon, to maintain cellular homeostasis in the face of external perturbations.

Finite-element stress analysis of a multicomponent model of sheared and focally-adhered endothelial cells

Hemodynamic forces applied at the apical surface of vascular endothelial cells may be redistributed to and amplified at remote intracellular organelles and protein complexes where they are transduced to biochemical signals. In this study we sought to quantify the effects of cellular material inhomogeneities and discrete attachment points on intracellular stresses resulting from physiological fluid flow. Steady-state shear- and magnetic bead-induced stress, strain, and displacement distributions were determined from finite-element stress analysis of a cell-specific, multicomponent elastic continuum model developed from multimodal fluorescence images of confluent endothelial cell (EC) monolayers and their nuclei. Focal adhesion locations and areas were determined from quantitative total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy and verified using green fluorescence protein-focal adhesion kinase (GFP-FAK). The model predicts that shear stress induces small heterogeneous deformations of the endothelial cell cytoplasm on the order of <100 nm. However, strain and stress were amplified 10-100-fold over apical values in and around the high-modulus nucleus and near focal adhesions (FAs) and stress distributions depended on flow direction. The presence of a 0.4 microm glycocalyx was predicted to increase intracellular stresses by approximately 2-fold. The model of magnetic bead twisting rheometry also predicted heterogeneous stress, strain, and displacement fields resulting from material heterogeneities and FAs. Thus, large differences in moduli between the nucleus and cytoplasm and the juxtaposition of constrained regions (e.g. FAs) and unattached regions provide two mechanisms of stress amplification in sheared endothelial cells. Such phenomena may play a role in subcellular localization of early mechanotransduction events.

DNA/cationic polymer complex attachment on a human vascular endothelial cell monolayer exposed to a steady laminar flow

This study evaluated for the first time the binding of pDNA/polymer complexes (polyplexes) on a human lung microvascular endothelial cell (HLMEC) monolayer under flow conditions. A slide of a HLMEC monolayer was mounted on a parallel flow chamber connected to an open flow system from a reservoir containing fluorescent polyplexes to a syringe. A precise pump allowed their passage through the chamber under a range of shear stresses. The binding of polyethyleneimine (PEI)- and histidylated polylysine (His)-polyplexes was carried out over 30 min by time-lapse video microscopy. At 10 microg pDNA/ml in 10% serum, we found that 360+/-80 PEI- and 250+/-50 His-polyplexes were bound per 1000 cells at a shear stress of 0.3-1 dyn/cm(2). This number dropped to approximately 100 at 2 dyn/cm(2). These polyplexes exhibited differences in their interactions with the cell membrane. Concerning PEI-polyplexes, there was a shear threshold effect allowing a maximum binding at 0.06 dyn/cm(2) and a higher binding reduction (77%) at 5 microg/ml pDNA in 100% serum. The polyplex binding was augmented by 300% with PEI bearing tetraglucose moiety. This set-up is potentially helpful to screen a wide array of endothelial cells ligands prior in vivo experiments.

Diffusion in curved fluid membranes

We analyze theoretically the effects of curvature on the diffusion in a fluid membrane, within the Saffman-Delbrück hydrodynamic model. We calculate the effect of curvature on the intrinsic fluidity of a membrane through changes in its thickness, for both static or fluctuating curvature. We treat both thermal curvature fluctuations, and fluctuations due to active processes. Such curvature fluctuations increase the average membrane thickness and diminish the projected area, thereby decreasing the diffusion coefficient. This calculation allows us to predict the effect of shear flow on the membrane diffusion, and to compare to observations on living cells.

A Validated System for Simulating Common Carotid Arterial Flow In Vitro: Alteration of Endothelial Cell Response

Pulsations in blood flow alter gene and protein expressions in endothelial cells (EC). A computer-controlled system was developed to mimic the common carotid artery flow waveform and shear stress levels or to provide steady flow of the same mean shear stress in a parallel plate flow chamber. The pseudo-steady state shear stress was determined from real-time pressure gradient measurements and compared to the Navier-Stokes equation solution. Following 24 h of steady flow (SF: 13 dyne/cm2), pulsatile arterial flow (AF: average = 13 dyne/cm2, range = 7-25 dyne/cm2) or static conditions, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and prostaglandin H synthase-2 (PGHS-2) mRNA and protein expressions from human umbilical vein endothelial cells were measured. Relative to steady flow, pulsatile arterial flow significantly attenuated mRNA upregulation of HO-1 (SF: 7.26 +/- 2.70-fold over static, AF: 4.84 +/- 0.37-fold over static; p < 0.01) and PGHS-2 (SF: 6.11+/-1.79-fold over static, AF: 3.54+/-0.79-fold over static; p < 0.001). Pulsatile arterial flow (4.57+/-0.81-fold over static, p < 0.01) also significantly reduced the steady-flow-induced HO-1 protein upregulation (7.99 +/- 1.29-fold over static). These findings reveal that EC can discriminate between different flow patterns of the same average magnitude and respond at the molecular level.

Cellular fluid mechanics and mechanotransduction

Mechanotransduction, the transformation of an applied mechanical force into a cellular biomolecular response, is briefly reviewed focusing on fluid shear stress and endothelial cells. Particular emphasis is placed on recent studies of the surface proteoglycan layer (glycocalyx) as a primary sensor of fluid shear stress that can transmit force to apical structures such as the plasma membrane or the actin cortical web where transduction can take place or to more remote regions of the cell such as intercellular junctions and basal adhesion plaques where transduction can also occur. All of these possibilities are reviewed from an integrated perspective.

Molecular basis of the effects of shear stress on vascular endothelial cells

Blood vessels are constantly exposed to hemodynamic forces in the form of cyclic stretch and shear stress due to the pulsatile nature of blood pressure and flow. Endothelial cells (ECs) are subjected to the shear stress resulting from blood flow and are able to convert mechanical stimuli into intracellular signals that affect cellular functions, e.g., proliferation, apoptosis, migration, permeability, and remodeling, as well as gene expression. The ECs use multiple sensing mechanisms to detect changes in mechanical forces, leading to the activation of signaling networks. The cytoskeleton provides a structural framework for the EC to transmit mechanical forces between its luminal, abluminal and junctional surfaces and its interior, including the cytoplasm, the nucleus, and focal adhesion sites. Endothelial cells also respond differently to different modes of shear forces, e.g., laminar, disturbed, or oscillatory flows. In vitro studies on cultured ECs in flow channels have been conducted to investigate the molecular mechanisms by which cells convert the mechanical input into biochemical events, which eventually lead to functional responses. The knowledge gained on mechano-transduction, with verifications under in vivo conditions, will advance our understanding of the physiological and pathological processes in vascular remodeling and adaptation in health and disease.

Militarinone A induces differentiation in PC12 cells via MAP and Akt kinase signal transduction pathways

The fungal metabolite militarinone A (MILI A) promotes neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells. This study was conducted to investigate the signaling pathways involved in the cellular differentiation processes induced by the compound, with a focus on cascades implicated with nerve growth factor (NGF)-mediated neuritogenesis. MILI A possessed pronounced amphiphilic properties. The compound rapidly accumulated in the cell membrane and was slowly released into the cytoplasma. In primed PC12 cells, an early activation of protein kinase B (Akt), representing a downstream target of phosphoinositol 3 (PI3) kinase, and a delayed phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2), and of transcription factor cAMP responsive element binding protein (CREB) was found. The NGF-dependent activation of c-Jun amino terminal kinase (SAPK/JNK1) was potentiated. Morphological differentiation of cells and the phosphorylation of specific signal molecules were blocked by the MAP kinase (MEK1) inhibitor PD098059, the PI3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor wortmannin and the adenylyl cyclase inhibitor 9-cyclopentyladenine.