Shear Stress Responses of Adult Blood Outgrowth Endothelial Cells Seeded on Bioartificial Tissue

• Published in: Tissue engineering. Part A 2011-10, Vol.17 (19-20), p.2511-2521
• Main Authors: Ahmann, Katherine A., Johnson, Sandra L., Hebbel, Robert P., Tranquillo, Robert T.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Animals; Bioartificial Organs; Blood; Cell Adhesion - drug effects; Cells, Cultured; Endothelial Cells - cytology; Endothelial Cells - drug effects; Endothelial Cells - enzymology; Endothelium; Extracellular Matrix - drug effects; Extracellular Matrix - metabolism; Health aspects; Humans; Inflammation Mediators - metabolism; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 - metabolism; Nitrates - metabolism; Nitric oxide; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III - metabolism; Nitrites - metabolism; Original; Original Articles; Physiological aspects; Platelet Adhesiveness - drug effects; Rats; Rheology - drug effects; Shear stress; Staining and Labeling; Stress response; Stress, Mechanical; Tissue engineering; Tissue Engineering - methods; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - pharmacology; Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 - metabolism
• ISSN: 1937-3341; 1937-335X
• DOI: 10.1089/ten.tea.2011.0055

Human blood outgrowth endothelial cells (HBOECs) are expanded from circulating endothelial progenitor cells in peripheral blood and thus could provide a source of autologous endothelial cells for tissue-engineered vascular grafts. To examine the suitability of adult HBOECs for use in vascular tissue engineering, the shear stress responsiveness of these cells was examined on bioartificial tissue formed from dermal fibroblasts entrapped in tubular fibrin gels. HBOECs adhered to this surface, deposited collagen IV and laminin, and remained adherent when exposed to 15 dyn/cm 2 shear stress for 24 h. The shear stress responses of HBOECs were compared to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). As with HUVECs, HBOECs upregulated vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 when exposed to tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and shear stress decreased the expression of these adhesion molecules on TNF-α-activated monolayers. Nitric oxide production was elevated by shear stress, but did not vary between cell types. Both cell types decreased platelet adhesion to the bioartificial tissue, whereas pre-exposing the cells to flow decreased platelet adhesion further. These results illustrate the potential utility for HBOECs in vascular tissue engineering, as not only do the cells adhere to bioartificial tissue and remain adherent under physiological shear stress, they are also responsive to shear stress signaling.