Oxidized-LDL induce morphological changes and increase stiffness of endothelial cells

Journal Article · Wed Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 2008 · Experimental Cell Research

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yexcr.2008.07.020· OSTI ID:21128159

Chouinard, Julie A ^[1]; Grenier, Guillaume ^[2]; Khalil, Abdelouahed ^[2]; Vermette, Patrick ^[1]

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1. Laboratoire de Bioingenierie et de Biophysique de l'Universite de Sherbrooke, Department of Chemical Engineering, Universite de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec (Canada)
2. Research Centre on Aging, Sherbrooke Geriatric University Institute, Sherbrooke, Quebec (Canada)

There is increasing evidence suggesting that oxidized low-density lipoproteins (ox-LDL) play a critical role in endothelial injury contributing to the age-related physio-pathological process of atherosclerosis. In this study, the effects of native LDL and ox-LDL on the mechanical properties of living human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM) force measurements. The contribution of filamentous actin (F-actin) and vimentin on cytoskeletal network organization were also examined by fluorescence microscopy. Our results revealed that ox-LDL had an impact on the HUVEC shape by interfering with F-actin and vimentin while native LDL showed no effect. AFM colloidal force measurements on living individual HUVEC were successfully used to measure stiffness of cells exposed to native and ox-LDL. AFM results demonstrated that the cell body became significantly stiffer when cells were exposed for 24 h to ox-LDL while cells exposed for 24 h to native LDL displayed similar rigidity to that of the control cells. Young's moduli of LDL-exposed HUVEC were calculated using two models. This study thus provides quantitative evidence on biomechanical mechanisms related to endothelial cell dysfunction and may give new insight on strategies aiming to protect endothelial function in atherosclerosis.

• OSTI ID: 21128159
• Journal Information: Experimental Cell Research, Vol. 314, Issue 16; Other Information: DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2008.07.020; PII: S0014-4827(08)00293-0; Copyright (c) 2008 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0014-4827
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES
ACTIN
ARTERIOSCLEROSIS
ATOMIC FORCE MICROSCOPY
FLEXIBILITY
FLUORESCENCE
INJURIES
LIPOPROTEINS
MICROTUBULES
MORPHOLOGICAL CHANGES
VEINS