Amnion-derived mesenchymal stem cells improve viability of endothelial cells exposed to shear stress in ePTFE grafts

2018 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 80-87
Author(s):  
Dagmar Pfeiffer ◽  
Karin Wankhammer ◽  
Christina Stefanitsch ◽  
Kerstin Hingerl ◽  
Berthold Huppertz ◽  
...  

Purpose: Blood vessel reconstruction is an increasing need of patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases. For the development of microvascular prostheses, efficient endothelialization is mandatory to prevent graft occlusion. Here, we assessed the impact of amnion-derived mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (hAMSC), known for their important angiogenic potential, on the integrity and stability of endothelial cells exposed to shear stress in vascular grafts. Methods: Human placental endothelial cells (hPEC) were cultured at the inner surface of an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) graft positioned within a bioreactor and exposed to a minimal shear stress of 0.015 dyne/cm2 or a physiological shear stress of 0.92 dyne/cm2. hAMSC attached to the outer graft surface were able to interact with human placental endothelial cells by paracrine factors. Results: Microscopical analysis and evaluation of glucose/lactate metabolism evidenced successful cell seeding of the graft: hPEC formed a stable monolayer, hAMSC showed a continuous growth during 72 h incubation. hAMSC improved the viability of hPEC exposed to 0.015 dyne/cm2 as shown by a decreased lactate dehydrogenase release of 13% after 72 h compared to hPEC single culture. The viability-enhancing effect of hAMSC on hPEC was further improved by 13% under physiological shear stress. Angiogenesis array analysis revealed that hPEC exposed to physiological shear stress and hAMSC co-culture reduced the secretion of angiogenin, GRO, MCP-1, and TIMP-2. Conclusion: hAMSC exerted best survival-enhancing effects on hPEC under exposure to physiological shear stress and modulated endothelial function by paracrine factors. Our data support further studies on the development of grafts functionalized with hAMSC–derived secretomes to enable fast clinical application.

2020 ◽  
Vol 52 (4) ◽  
pp. 658-671 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katie Pricola Fehnel ◽  
David L. Penn ◽  
Micah Duggins-Warf ◽  
Maxwell Gruber ◽  
Steven Pineda ◽  
...  

Abstract We investigated (1) EphrinB2 and EphB4 receptor expression in cerebral AVMs, (2) the impact of an altered EphrinB2:EphB4 ratio on brain endothelial cell function and (3) potential translational applications of these data. The following parameters were compared between AVM endothelial cells (AVMECs) and human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMVECs): quantified EphrinB2 and EphB4 expression, angiogenic potential, and responses to manipulation of the EphrinB2:EphB4 ratio via pharmacologic stimulation/inhibition. To investigate the clinical relevance of these in vitro data, Ephrin expression was assessed in AVM tissue (by immunohistochemistry) and urine (by ELISA) from pediatric patients with AVM (n = 30), other cerebrovascular disease (n = 14) and control patients (n = 29), and the data were subjected to univariate and multivariate statistical analyses. Compared to HBMVECs, AVMECs demonstrated increased invasion (p = 0.04) and migration (p = 0.08), impaired tube formation (p = 0.06) and increased EphrinB2:EphB4 ratios. Altering the EphrinB2:EphB4 ratio (by increasing EphrinB2 or blocking EphB4) in HBMVECs increased invasion (p = 0.03 and p < 0.05, respectively). EphrinB2 expression was increased in AVM tissue, which correlated with increased urinary EphrinB2 levels in AVM patients. Using the optimal urinary cutoff value (EphrinB2 > 25.7 pg/μg), AVMs were detected with high accuracy (80% vs. controls) and were distinguished from other cerebrovascular disease (75% accuracy). Post-treatment urinary EphrinB2 levels normalized in an index patient. In summary, AVMECs have an EphrinB2:EphB4 ratio that is increased compared to that of normal HBMVECs. Changing this ratio in HBMVECs induces AVMEC-like behavior. EphrinB2 is clinically relevant, and its levels are increased in AVM tissue and patient urine. This work suggests that dysregulation of the EphrinB2:EphB4 signaling cascade and increases in EphrinB2 may play a role in AVM development, with potential utility as a diagnostic and therapeutic target.


Perfusion ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 026765912110125
Author(s):  
Alexander O Ward ◽  
Graciela B Sala-Newby ◽  
Shameem Ladak ◽  
Gianni D Angelini ◽  
Massimo Caputo ◽  
...  

Vascular endothelial cell stimulation is associated with the activation of different signalling pathways and transcription factors. Acute shear stress is known to induce different pro-inflammatory mediators such as IL-8. Nrf2 is activated by prolonged high shear stress promoting an antiinflammatory and athero-protective environment. However, little is known about the impact of acute shear stress on Nrf2 and Keap1 function and its role in IL-8 regulation. We aimed to examine Nrf2-Keap1 complex activation in-vitro and its role in regulating IL-8 transcripts under acute arterial shear stress (12 dyn/cm2) in venous endothelial cells (ECs). We note that acute high shear stress caused a significant upregulation of Nrf2 target genes, HO-1 and GCLM and an increased IL-8 upregulation at 90 and 120 minutes. Mechanistically, acute high shear did not affect Nrf2 nuclear translocation but resulted in reduced nuclear Keap1, suggesting that the reduction in nuclear Keap1 may result in increased free nuclear nrf2 to induce transcription. Consistently, the suppression of Keap1 using shRNA (shKeap1) resulted in significant upregulation of IL-8 transcripts in response to acute shear stress. Interestingly; the over expression of Nrf2 using Nrf2-Ad-WT or Sulforaphane was also associated with significant upregulation of IL-8 compared to controls. This study highlights the role of Keap1 in Nrf2 activation under shear stress and indicates that activation of Nrf2 may be deleterious in ECs in the context of acute haemodynamic injury.


2020 ◽  
Vol 59 (1) ◽  
pp. 147-154
Author(s):  
Pierre Sentenac ◽  
Gianluca Samarani ◽  
Patrice Bideaux ◽  
Pierre Sicard ◽  
Benjamin Bourdois ◽  
...  

Abstract OBJECTIVES Pulmonary hypertension and heart disease contribute to the high morbidity rate following pneumonectomy (PN). The pathophysiology is still poorly understood. The objective was to investigate the consequences of PN on cardiopulmonary function in rats and to explore in vitro the involved mechanisms. METHODS Sixty Sprague-Dawley male rats randomly underwent either a right PN (PN group) or sham surgery. Ten rats per group were sacrificed on postoperative days 3, 7 and 28. Cardiopulmonary alterations were investigated by echocardiographic, haemodynamic and histological analyses. In vitro, the shear stress was reproduced using a Flexcell Tension™ cyclic stretch on cultured human pulmonary endothelial cells (P-ECs) to investigate the impact on pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell (PA-SMC) growth. Data are expressed as mean ± SD. RESULTS Mean pulmonary arterial pressure gradually increased in the PN group to reach 35 ± 7 mmHg on postoperative day 28 vs 18 ± 4 in sham (P = 0.001), likewise the proportion of muscularized distal pulmonary arteries, 83 ± 1% vs 5 ± 1%, respectively (P &lt; 0.001), related to in situ PA-SMC proliferation. The right ventricle area and lateral wall thickness were doubled in the PN group on postoperative day 28. The left ventricle ejection fraction decreased on postoperative days 7 and 28 while the right ventricle function was maintained. In vitro, the human PA-SMC growth was significantly greater when seeded with stretched vs non-stretched P-EC media, highlighting the role of shear stress on the P-EC paracrine function. CONCLUSIONS Right PN led to pulmonary hypertension and proportional right heart remodelling in rats. The shear stress related to high blood flow alters the pulmonary endothelial paracrine control of SMC growth.


1997 ◽  
Vol 78 (05) ◽  
pp. 1392-1398 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Schneider ◽  
M Chandra ◽  
G Lazarovici ◽  
I Vlodavsky ◽  
G Merin ◽  
...  

SummaryPurpose: Successful development of a vascular prosthesis lined with endothelial cells (EC) may depend on the ability of the attached cells to resist shear forces after implantation. The present study was designed to investigate EC detachment from extracellular matrix (ECM) precoated vascular prostheses, caused by shear stress in vitro and to test the performance of these grafts in vivo. Methods: Bovine aortic endothelial cells were seeded inside untreated polytetrafluoro-ethylene (PTFE) vascular graft (10 X 0.6 cm), PTFE graft precoated with fibronectin (FN), or PTFE precoated with FN and a naturally produced ECM (106 cells/graft). Sixteen hours after seeding the medium was replaced and unattached cells counted. The strength of endothelial cell attachment was evaluated by subjecting the grafts to a physiologic shear stress of 15 dynes/cm2 for 1 h. The detached cells were collected and quantitated. PTFE or EC preseeded ECM coated grafts were implanted in the common carotid arteries of dogs. Results: While little or no differences were found in the extent of endothelial cell attachment to the various grafts (79%, 87% and 94% of the cells attached to PTFE, FN precoated PTFE, or FN+ECM precoated PTFE, respectively), the number of cells retained after a shear stress was significanly increased on ECM coated PTFE (20%, 54% and 85% on PTFE, FN coated PTFE, and FN+ECM coated PTFE, respectively, p <0.01). Implantation experiments in dogs revealed a significant increase in EC coverage and a reduced incidence of thrombus formation on ECM coated grafts that were seeded with autologous saphenous vein endothelial cells prior to implantation. Conclusion: ECM coating significantly increased the strength of endothelial cell attachment to vascular prostheses subjected to shear stress. The presence of adhesive macromolecules and potent endothelial cell growth promoting factors may render the ECM a promising substrate for vascular prostheses.


2013 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 3255-3260
Author(s):  
Stelian Stancu ◽  
Alexandra Maria Constantin

Instilment, on a European level, of a state incompatible with the state of stability on a macroeconomic level and in the financial-banking system lead to continuous growth of vulnerability of European economies, situated at the verge of an outburst of sovereign debt crises. In this context, the current papers main objective is to produce a study regarding the vulnerability of European economies faced with potential outburst of sovereign debt crisis, which implies quantitative analysis of the impact of sovereign debt on the sensitivity of the European Unions economies. The paper also entails the following specific objectives: completing an introduction in the current European economic context, conceptualization of the notion of “sovereign debt crisis, presenting the methodology and obtained empirical results, as well as exposition of the conclusions.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Semra Zuhal Birol ◽  
Rana Fucucuoglu ◽  
Sertac Cadirci ◽  
Ayca Sayi-Yazgan ◽  
Levent Trabzon

AbstractAtherosclerosis is a long-term disease process of the vascular system that is characterized by the formation of atherosclerotic plaques, which are inflammatory regions on medium and large-sized arteries. There are many factors contributing to plaque formation, such as changes in shear stress levels, rupture of endothelial cells, accumulation of lipids, and recruitment of leukocytes. Shear stress is one of the main factors that regulates the homeostasis of the circulatory system; therefore, sudden and chronic changes in shear stress may cause severe pathological conditions. In this study, microfluidic channels with cavitations were designed to mimic the shape of the atherosclerotic blood vessel, where the shear stress and pressure difference depend on design of the microchannels. Changes in the inflammatory-related molecules ICAM-1 and IL-8 were investigated in THP-1 cells in response to applied shear stresses in an continuous cycling system through microfluidic channels with periodic cavitations. ICAM-1 mRNA expression and IL-8 release were analyzed by qRT-PCR and ELISA, respectively. Additionally, the adhesion behavior of sheared THP-1 cells to endothelial cells was examined by fluorescence microscopy. The results showed that 15 Pa shear stress significantly increases expression of ICAM-1 gene and IL-8 release in THP-1 cells, whereas it decreases the adhesion between THP-1 cells and endothelial cells.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (8) ◽  
pp. 3955
Author(s):  
László Bálint ◽  
Zoltán Jakus

Our understanding of the function and development of the lymphatic system is expanding rapidly due to the identification of specific molecular markers and the availability of novel genetic approaches. In connection, it has been demonstrated that mechanical forces contribute to the endothelial cell fate commitment and play a critical role in influencing lymphatic endothelial cell shape and alignment by promoting sprouting, development, maturation of the lymphatic network, and coordinating lymphatic valve morphogenesis and the stabilization of lymphatic valves. However, the mechanosignaling and mechanotransduction pathways involved in these processes are poorly understood. Here, we provide an overview of the impact of mechanical forces on lymphatics and summarize the current understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in the mechanosensation and mechanotransduction by lymphatic endothelial cells. We also discuss how these mechanosensitive pathways affect endothelial cell fate and regulate lymphatic development and function. A better understanding of these mechanisms may provide a deeper insight into the pathophysiology of various diseases associated with impaired lymphatic function, such as lymphedema and may eventually lead to the discovery of novel therapeutic targets for these conditions.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document