title: Mechanical Compression Effects on the Secretion of vWF and IL-8 by Cultured Human Vein Endothelium.
abstract: Short peripheral catheters are ubiquitous in today's healthcare environment enabling effective delivery of fluids and medications directly into a patient's vasculature. However, complications related to their use, such as short peripheral catheter thrombophlebitis (SPCT), affect up to 80% of hospitalized patients. While indwelling within the vein, the catheters exert prolonged constant pressure upon the endothelium which can trigger inflammation processes. We have developed and studied an in-vitro model of cultured endothelial cells subjected to mechanical compression of modular self-designed weights, and explored their inflammatory response by quantification of two key biomarkers- vWF and IL-8. Evaluation was performed by ELISA immunoassay and processing of vWF-labeled immunofluorescence images. We found that application of weights correspond to 272 Pa yielded increased release of vWF and IL-8 up to 150% and 250% respectively, comparing to the exertion of 136 Pa. Analyses of the immunofluorescence images revealed significantly longer and more extracellular vWF-strings as well as higher intensity stained-pixels in cells exposed to elevated pressures. The release of both factors found to be significantly dependent on the extent of the exerted pressure. The research shed a light on the relationship between induced mechanical compression and the pathogenesis of SPCT. Minimizing, let alone eliminating the contact between the catheter and the vein wall will mitigate the pressure acting on the endothelium, thereby reducing the secretion of inflammatory factors and lessen the incidence of SPCT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Dar
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Avraham
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guttlieb
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Lee
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gasner
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Alina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lotman
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, United States of America.
authors.forename: Oren M
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Rotman
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.|Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, United States of America.
authors.forename: Shmuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Einav
mesh_terms: D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D014841:von Willebrand Factor / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D016209:Interleukin-8; D014841:von Willebrand Factor