Abstract 638: Flow Modulates the Endothelial Expression of Neuronal Guidance Cues

Disturbed hemodynamic conditions lead to impaired homeostasis of the vascular endothelium and, subsequently, influx and retention of monocytes in the arterial wall. Emerging data suggest that, aside from a role in the development and maintenance of the nervous system, neuronal guidance cues (NGCs) are also required for physiological and pathological immune responses. We recently reported that NGCs are differentially expressed in atherosclerosis-prone and -resistant aortic sites in LDLR-/-mice during early atherogenesis. Here, we detail our investigation of the role of shear stress on the expression levels of NGCs (ephrins, slits, netrins and semaphorins) in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (ECs) under atherosclerosis-prone (static) and -protective (laminar flow) conditions. To gain insight into the consequences of laminar flow on the mRNA expression levels of NGCs in ECs, the cells were exposed to 0, 1 or 7 days of laminar flow (shear stress 10 dynes/cm2, IBIDI-flow system). The mRNA levels of the l...