Effects of Transient Pressure Gradient on Endothelial F-Actin and Beta-Catenin

The hypothesis that transient change in transmural pressure alters F-actin and β-catenin arrangement in endothelial cells was tested. A confluent monolayer was exposed to a transient pressure gradient (20 mmHg). Thirty minutes later, deconvolution microscopy showed the average ratio of peripheral (at cell edge) to central (linear fibers in cell body) F-actin had significantly increased compared to controls not exposed to pressure (4.66 ± 4.52 (SE) vs 1.42 ± 0.35). Beta-catenin localized at cell edges. No differences occurred when both sides of the monolayer were pressurized simultaneously. Thus a transient pressure gradient causes F-actin and beta-catenin co-localization at cell boundaries.