Temporal regulation of endothelial ET-1 and eNOS expression in intact human conduit vessels exposed to different intraluminal pressure levels at physiological shear stress

• Published in: Cardiovascular research 2000-10, Vol.48 (1), p.168-177
• Main Authors: GAN, Li-Ming, SELIN-SJÖGREN, Lena, DOROUDI, Roya, JERN, Sverker
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analysis of Variance; Biological and medical sciences; Blood vessels and receptors; Computer Simulation; Endothelin-1 - analysis; Endothelin-1 - genetics; Endothelium, Vascular - chemistry; Endothelium, Vascular - metabolism; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Expression; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Models, Cardiovascular; Nitric Oxide Synthase - analysis; Nitric Oxide Synthase - genetics; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; Perfusion; Pressure; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Time Factors; Vascular Resistance; Vertebrates: cardiovascular system
• ISSN: 0008-6363; 1755-3245
• DOI: 10.1016/S0008-6363(00)00174-7

By using a computerized vascular perfusion model, we investigated temporal effects of sub-acute pressure elevation on vasomotor behavior and expression of endothelin-1 (ET-1) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in intact human conduit vessels. Paired umbilical veins were perfused during 1.5, 3 and 6 h under high/low intraluminal pressure (40/20 mmHg) and at identical shear stress level of 10 dyn/cm(2). ET-1 and eNOS gene and protein expression was quantified with real-time reverse-transcribed polymerase chain reaction and quantitative immunohistochemistry, respectively. Pressure induced differential temporal regulation patterns of ET-1 and eNOS gene expression. During the high pressure condition, eNOS mRNA was upregulated after 3 h and leveled off after 6 h of perfusion, while ET-1 mRNA was elevated after 6 h perfusion. Immunohistochemistry verified synchronal changes at the protein level. Significant vasodilation was observed after 3 h in the high-pressure system. Thus, subacute pressure elevation exerts differential effects on the endothelial eNOS/ET-1 expression, which dynamically regulate the vasomotor tone.