Pulsed Doppler ultrasonographic evaluation of portal blood flow in dogs with experimental portal vein branch ligation. (1/556)

Portal blood flow was measured using pulsed Doppler ultrasound in 6 dogs before and after left portal vein branch ligation. Mean portal vein blood flow velocity and mean portal vein blood flow were significantly reduced after ligation and the congestion index was increased (p < 0.01). Pulsed Doppler ultrasound studies provide valuable physiological information which may assist the clinician with the diagnosis of canine hepatic circulatory disorders.  (+info)

AJvW-2, an anti-vWF monoclonal antibody, inhibits enhanced platelet aggregation induced by high shear stress in platelet-rich plasma from patients with acute coronary syndromes. (2/556)

The platelet aggregation that is dependent on von Willebrand factor (vWF) is important in the thrombogenesis that occurs under conditions of high shear stress, eg, during acute coronary syndromes (ACSs). A monoclonal antibody, AJvW-2, directed against the A1 domain of human vWF specifically blocks the interaction between plasma vWF and platelet glycoprotein (GP) Ib. To evaluate the association between the vWF-GPIb interaction and the enhanced shear-induced platelet aggregation (SIPA) observed in ACSs, we tested the effect of this antibody on platelet aggregation. Platelet-rich plasma was prepared from the citrated blood of 12 patients with unstable angina (UAP) and 20 patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) who were admitted within 3 hours of the onset of cardiac symptoms and from 18 controls. We observed the following: (1) 1.7-fold higher plasma levels of vWF and ristocetin cofactor activity in UAP patients and (2) 2.8-fold higher levels in the AMI group than in controls. Using a cone-and-plate viscometer, we measured the mean value of SIPA under high-shear conditions (108 dyne/cm2) and found them to be 1.3-fold higher in the UAP group and 2.0-fold higher in the AMI group than in controls. The high SIPA in all groups was completely inhibited by 10 microgram/mL AJvW-2. Under low-shear conditions (12 dyne/cm2), platelet aggregation was increased only in the AMI group, but this was unaffected by AJvW-2. We observed a significant correlation in both ACS groups between high SIPA and the plasma vWF level or vWF larger multimers. These findings suggest that the vWF-GPIb interaction is important in coronary occlusion and that inhibition of this interaction (with the use of AJvW-2) may prevent further events in the coronary arteries.  (+info)

Shear stress-induced nitric oxide antagonizes adenosine effects on intestinal metabolism. (3/556)

The influence of nitric oxide (NO) on adenosine-induced metabolic effects was studied in the intestine. Blood flow supplied an in situ- isolated segment of small intestine in anesthetized cats via the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) and was controlled by a vascular circuit. The SMA and portal samples were taken for analysis of oxygen and lactate. Adenosine (0.4 mg. kg-1. min-1, intra-SMA) reduced oxygen consumption by 25.1 +/- 2.9 from 73.1 +/- 10.8 micromol. min-1. 100 g-1 and increased lactate production by 13.3 +/- 3.0 from 12.8 +/- 4.6 micromol. min-1. 100 g tissue-1 during constant-flow (CF, decreased shear stress) but not during constant-pressure (CP, increased shear stress) perfusion. Blockade of NO synthase using Nomega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester did not affect the metabolic effects of adenosine during CF but eliminated the differences seen between CP and CF perfusion. A NO donor, 3-morpholinosydnonimine, attenuated the metabolic effects of adenosine during CF perfusion. The results suggested that shear-induced NO antagonized metabolic effects of adenosine but that the inhibition of vascular effects by NO was not shear dependent since it occurred in both CP and CF perfusion.  (+info)

Mechanotransduction in response to shear stress. Roles of receptor tyrosine kinases, integrins, and Shc. (4/556)

Shear stress, the tangential component of hemodynamic forces, activates many signal transduction pathways in vascular endothelial cells. The conversion of mechanical stimulation into chemical signals is still unclear. We report here that shear stress (12 dynes/cm2) induced a rapid and transient tyrosine phosphorylation of Flk-1 and its concomitant association with the adaptor protein Shc; these are accompanied by a concurrent clustering of Flk-1, as demonstrated by confocal microscopy. Our results also show that shear stress induced an association of alphavbeta3 and beta1 integrins with Shc, and an attendant association of Shc with Grb2. These associations are sustained, in contrast to the transient Flk-1. Shc association in response to shear stress and the transient association between alphavbeta3 integrin and Shc caused by cell attachment to substratum. Shc-SH2, an expression plasmid encoding the SH2 domain of Shc, attenuated shear stress activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases and c-Jun N-terminal kinases, and the gene transcription mediated by the activator protein-1/12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-responsive element complex. Our results indicate that receptor tyrosine kinases and integrins can serve as mechanosensors to transduce mechanical stimuli into chemical signals via their association with Shc.  (+info)

Characterization of eosinophil adhesion to TNF-alpha-activated endothelium under flow conditions: alpha 4 integrins mediate initial attachment, and E-selectin mediates rolling. (5/556)

The multistep model of leukocyte adhesion reveals that selectins mediate rolling interactions and that integrins mediate firm adhesion processes. In this study, the interaction between eosinophils and TNF-alpha-activated HUVEC (second or third passage) was studied under flow conditions (0.8 and 3.2 dynes/cm2). Especially the role of alpha 4 integrins on eosinophils and E-selectin on HUVEC was studied. Inhibition of the integrin alpha 4 chain on eosinophils reduced the number of firmly adhered resting eosinophils to TNF-alpha-stimulated endothelium by 43% whereas the percentage rolling cells increased 2.2-fold compared with untreated control eosinophils. Blocking of E-selectin on the endothelium reduced the number of adherent eosinophils by only 23% and 16%. In this situation, however, hardly any rolling adhesion was observed, and the few rolling cells showed a low rolling velocity. Blocking both alpha 4 integrin on eosinophils and E-selectin on HUVEC reduced the number of adhered eosinophils by 95%. P-selectin did not significantly participate in eosinophil adhesion to TNF-alpha-activated HUVEC. Inhibition of both alpha 4 integrins and beta 2 integrins on eosinophils resulted in a reduction of adhered cells by 65% and a 3-fold increase in percentage rolling cells. Taken together, these results clearly show that resting eosinophils preferentially use constitutively active alpha 4 integrins (alpha 4 beta 1, alpha 4 beta 7) for the first attachment to TNF-alpha-activated HUVEC. In addition, alpha 4 integrins and E-selectin work synergistically in eosinophil adherence to TNF-alpha-activated HUVEC. Although E-selectin is important for eosinophil rolling under these conditions, P-selectin plays only a minor role.  (+info)

P-selectin binding promotes the adhesion of monocytes to VCAM-1 under flow conditions. (6/556)

This study examined the adhesive interaction of peripheral blood monocytes with VCAM-1 and analyzed the effect of P-selectin binding to monocytes on the adhesive interaction with VCAM-1 under flow conditions. P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 is expressed on most monocytes. Furthermore, most monocytes bind soluble P-selectin derived from platelets. P-selectin binding to monocytes did not alter the amount of expression of alpha4 integrin on monocytes. However, the mean channel fluorescence value for binding Cy2-conjugated soluble VCAM-1 to P-selectin-bound monocytes was slightly more than that for binding Cy2-conjugated soluble VCAM-1 to untreated monocytes. Under flow conditions, the number of P-selectin-bound monocytes bound to VCAM-1 was much higher than that of untreated monocytes bound to VCAM-1. These bindings were abolished by pretreatment of untreated monocytes and P-selectin-bound monocytes with anti-VCAM-1 mAb or anti-alpha4 integrin mAb. Furthermore, P-selectin binding to monocytes increased shear resistance and thus increased the adhesive strength of monocytes to VCAM-1. These findings indicate that P-selectin binding to monocytes enhances the adhesive interaction of monocytes with VCAM-1. It is suggested that P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1/P-selectin interaction and alpha4 integrin/VCAM-1 interaction can act sequentially in the adhesion cascade that regulates monocyte trafficking to inflammatory and atherosclerotic lesion.  (+info)

Power Doppler ultrasound scan imaging of the level of red blood cell aggregation: an in vitro study. (7/556)

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the shear rate on red blood cell (RBC) aggregation with power Doppler ultrasound scanning (PDU), pulsed-wave Doppler scanning, and color Doppler flow imaging. METHODS: Equine and porcine blood were circulated with a steady flow in a phantom with a diameter of 9.52 mm. The color Doppler flow imaging mode was used to estimate the velocity profile and the shear rate across the tube. A transfer function that related the Doppler scan power, measured in gray level with the PDU method, to the power, measured in decibels with the pulsed-wave Doppler scan technique, was used to estimate the echogenicity of blood and the level of aggregation. RESULTS: For the four experiments reported, the power peaked at low shear rates probably because of increased RBC collisions and aggregation and then decreased thereafter because of disaggregation. The largest power variations were measured at shear rates of less than 40 seconds -1. At flow rates that varied between 75 and 500 mL/min, the echogenicity was low near the wall of the tube, increased toward the middle, and decreased at the tube center. The Doppler scan power was uniform across the tube at flow rates of 750 and 1000 mL/min. CONCLUSION: PDU is reliable to quantify the echogenicity of blood and the level of RBC aggregation. In comparison with other methods proposed to measure RBC aggregation, ultrasound scanning is applicable in vivo and may help to improve our basic understanding of the relationship between the hemodynamic of the circulation and RBC aggregation in human vessels.  (+info)

Effect of pressure on hydraulic conductivity of endothelial monolayers: role of endothelial cleft shear stress. (8/556)

Significant changes in transvascular pressure occur in pulmonary hypertension, microgravity, and many other physiological and pathophysiological circumstances. Using bovine aortic endothelial cells grown on porous, rigid supports, we demonstrate that step changes in transmural pressure of 10, 20, and 30 cmH(2)O induce significant elevations in endothelial hydraulic conductivity (L(p)) that require 5 h to reach new steady-state levels. The increases in L(p) can be reversed by addition of a stable cAMP analog (dibutyryl cAMP), and the increases in L(p) in response to pressure can be inhibited significantly with nitric oxide synthase inhibitors (N(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine and nitro-L-arginine methyl ester). The increase in L(p) was not due to pressure-induced stretch because the endothelial cell (EC) support was rigid. It is unlikely that the increase in L(p) was due to a direct effect of pressure because exposure of the cells to elevated pressure (25 cmH(2)O) for 4 h had no effect on the volume flux driven by a transmural pressure of 10 cmH(2)O. We hypothesize that elevated endothelial cleft shear stress induced by elevated transmural flow in response to elevated pressure stimulates the increase in L(p) through a nitric oxide-cAMP-dependent mechanism. This is consistent with recent studies of the effects of shear stress on the luminal surface of ECs. We provide simple estimates of endothelial cleft shear stress, which suggest magnitudes comparable to those imposed by blood flow on the luminal surface of ECs.  (+info)

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