Role of shear stress in endothelial cell morphology and expression of cyclooxygenase isoforms.
OBJECTIVE
The goal of this study was to examine the effect of chronic heterogeneous shear stress, applied using an orbital shaker, on endothelial cell morphology and the expression of cyclooxygenases 1 and 2.


RESULTS
Porcine aortic endothelial cells were plated on fibronectin-coated Transwell plates. Cells were cultured for up to 7 days either under static conditions or on an orbital shaker that generated a wave of medium inducing shear stress over the cells. Cells were fixed and stained for the endothelial surface marker CD31 or cyclooxygenases 1 and 2. En face confocal microscopy and scanning ion conductance microscopy were used to show that endothelial cells were randomly oriented at the center of the well, aligned with shear stress nearer the periphery, and expressed cyclooxygenase-1 under all conditions. Lipopolysaccharide induced cyclooxygenase-2 and the production of 6-keto-prostaglandin F(1α) in all cells.


CONCLUSIONS
Cyclooxygenase-1 is expressed in endothelial cells cultured under chronic shear stress of high or low directionality.
Cardiothoracic Pharmacology, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, Dovehouse Street, London, UK.
Claire M F
CM
Potter
Martina H
MH
Lundberg
Louise S
LS
Harrington
Christina M
CM
Warboys
Timothy D
TD
Warner
R Eric
RE
Berson
Alexey V
AV
Moshkov
Julia
J
Gorelik
Peter D
PD
Weinberg
Jane A
JA
Mitchell
D015121:6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002452:Cell Count; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D051545:Cyclooxygenase 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000378:metabolism; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D023421:Models, Animal; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013552:Swine
D007527:Isoenzymes; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D015121:6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha; D051545:Cyclooxygenase 1; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2