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Fluids and Barriers of the CNS
Published in: Fluids and Barriers of the CNS 1/2017

Open Access 01-12-2017 | Research

Effect of shear stress on iPSC-derived human brain microvascular endothelial cells (dhBMECs)

Authors: Jackson G. DeStefano, Zinnia S. Xu, Ashley J. Williams, Nahom Yimam, Peter C. Searson

Published in: Fluids and Barriers of the CNS | Issue 1/2017

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Abstract

Background

The endothelial cells that form the lumen of capillaries and microvessels are an important component of the blood–brain barrier. Cell phenotype is regulated by transducing a range of biomechanical and biochemical signals in the local microenvironment. Here we report on the role of shear stress in modulating the morphology, motility, proliferation, apoptosis, and protein and gene expression, of confluent monolayers of human brain microvascular endothelial cells derived from induced pluripotent stem cells.

Methods

To assess the response of derived human brain microvascular endothelial cells (dhBMECs) to shear stress, confluent monolayers were formed in a microfluidic device. Monolayers were subjected to a shear stress of 4 or 12 dyne cm−2 for 40 h. Static conditions were used as the control. Live cell imaging was used to assess cell morphology, cell speed, persistence, and the rates of proliferation and apoptosis as a function of time. In addition, immunofluorescence imaging and protein and gene expression analysis of key markers of the blood–brain barrier were performed.

Results

Human brain microvascular endothelial cells exhibit a unique phenotype in response to shear stress compared to static conditions: (1) they do not elongate and align, (2) the rates of proliferation and apoptosis decrease significantly, (3) the mean displacement of individual cells within the monolayer over time is significantly decreased, (4) there is no cytoskeletal reorganization or formation of stress fibers within the cell, and (5) there is no change in expression levels of key blood–brain barrier markers.

Conclusions

The characteristic response of dhBMECs to shear stress is significantly different from human and animal-derived endothelial cells from other tissues, suggesting that this unique phenotype that may be important in maintenance of the blood–brain barrier. The implications of this work are that: (1) in confluent monolayers of dhBMECs, tight junctions are formed under static conditions, (2) the formation of tight junctions decreases cell motility and prevents any morphological transitions, (3) flow serves to increase the contact area between cells, resulting in very low cell displacement in the monolayer, (4) since tight junctions are already formed under static conditions, increasing the contact area between cells does not cause upregulation in protein and gene expression of BBB markers, and (5) the increase in contact area induced by flow makes barrier function more robust.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Effect of shear stress on iPSC-derived human brain microvascular endothelial cells (dhBMECs)
Authors
Jackson G. DeStefano
Zinnia S. Xu
Ashley J. Williams
Nahom Yimam
Peter C. Searson
Publication date
01-12-2017
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Fluids and Barriers of the CNS / Issue 1/2017
Electronic ISSN: 2045-8118
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12987-017-0068-z

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