This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: biophysj.106.098574v1 94/4/1497    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Liu, B. Articles by Jiang, Z.-L. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Liu, B. Articles by Jiang, Z.-L.

Role of Cyclic Strain Frequency in Regulating the Alignment of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells In Vitro

Institute of Mechanobiology & Medical Engineering, School of Life Sciences & Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China

Correspondence: Address reprint requests to Dr. Zong-Lai Jiang, Institute of Mechanobiology & Medical Engineering, School of Life Sciences & Biotechnology, PO Box 888, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Minhang, Shanghai 200240, China. Tel.: 86-21-3420-4863; Fax: 86-21-3420-4118; E-mail: zljiang{at}sjtu.edu.cn.

The arterial system is subjected to cyclic strain because of periodic alterations in blood pressure, but the effects of frequency of cyclic strain on arterial smooth muscle cells (SMCs) remain unclear. Here, we investigated the potential role of the cyclic strain frequency in regulating SMC alignment using an in vitro model. Aortic SMCs were subject to cyclic strain at one elongation but at various frequencies using a Flexercell Tension Plus system. It was found that the angle information entropy, the activation of integrin-β1, p38 MAPK, and F/G actin ratio of filaments were all changed in a frequency-dependent manner, which was consistent with SMC alignment under cyclic strain with various frequencies. A treatment with anti-integrin-β1 antibody, SB202190, or cytochalasin D inhibited the cyclic strain frequency-dependent SMC alignment. These observations suggested that the frequency of cyclic strain plays a role in regulating the alignment of vascular SMCs in an intact actin filament-dependent manner, and cyclic strain at 1.25 Hz was the most effective frequency influencing SMC alignment. Furthermore, integrin-β1 and p38 MAPK possibly mediated cyclic strain frequency-dependent SMC alignment.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. Jungbauer, H. Gao, J. P. Spatz, and R. Kemkemer Two Characteristic Regimes in Frequency-Dependent Dynamic Reorientation of Fibroblasts on Cyclically Stretched Substrates Biophys. J., October 1, 2008; 95(7): 3470 - 3478. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]