title: Rac1 mediates laminar shear stress-induced vascular endothelial cell migration.
abstract: The migration of endothelial cells (ECs) plays an important role in vascular remodeling and regeneration. ECs are constantly subjected to shear stress resulting from blood flow and are able to convert mechanical stimuli into intracellular signals that affect cellular behaviors and functions. The aim of this study is to elucidate the effects of Rac1, which is the member of small G protein family, on EC migration under different laminar shear stress (5.56, 10.02, and 15.27 dyn/cm(2)). The cell migration distance under laminar shear stress increased significantly than that under the static culture condition. Especially, under relative high shear stress (15.27 dyn/cm(2)) there was a higher difference at 8 h (P<0.01) and 2 h (P<0.05) compared with static controls. RT-PCR results further showed increasing mRNA expression of Rac1 in ECs exposed to laminar shear stress than that exposed to static culture. Using plasmids encoding the wild-type (WT), an activated mutant (Q61L), and a dominant-negative mutant (T17N), plasmids encoding Rac1 were transfected into EA.hy 926 cells. The average net migration distance of Rac1Q61L group increased significantly, while Rac1T17N group decreased significantly in comparison with the static controls. These results indicated that Rac1 mediated shear stress-induced EC migration. Our findings conduce to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of EC migration induced by shear stress, which is expected to understand the pathophysiological basis of wound healing in health and diseases.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedical Engineering; School of Preclinical and Forensic Medicine; Sichuan University; Chengdu, PR China; Laboratory of Cardiovascular Diseases; West China Hospital; Sichuan University; PR China.
authors.forename: Xianliang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedical Engineering; School of Preclinical and Forensic Medicine; Sichuan University; Chengdu, PR China; Laboratory of Cardiovascular Diseases; West China Hospital; Sichuan University; PR China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biomedical Ultrasonics; Institute of Women and Children's Health; West China Second University Hospital; Sichuan University; Chengdu, PR China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedical Engineering; School of Preclinical and Forensic Medicine; Sichuan University; Chengdu, PR China; Laboratory of Cardiovascular Diseases; West China Hospital; Sichuan University; PR China.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedical Engineering; School of Preclinical and Forensic Medicine; Sichuan University; Chengdu, PR China; Laboratory of Cardiovascular Diseases; West China Hospital; Sichuan University; PR China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedical Engineering; School of Preclinical and Forensic Medicine; Sichuan University; Chengdu, PR China; Laboratory of Cardiovascular Diseases; West China Hospital; Sichuan University; PR China.
authors.forename: Jiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cardiovascular Diseases; West China Hospital; Sichuan University; PR China.
authors.forename: Xiaojing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedical Engineering; School of Preclinical and Forensic Medicine; Sichuan University; Chengdu, PR China; Laboratory of Cardiovascular Diseases; West China Hospital; Sichuan University; PR China.
authors.forename: Xiaoheng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D002465:Cell Movement / Q000235:genetics*; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006801:Humans; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D014945:Wound Healing; D020830:rac1 GTP-Binding Protein / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C107953:RAC1 protein, human; D020830:rac1 GTP-Binding Protein
keywords: Rac1; endothelial cell migration; shear stress