Fluid shear stress regulates the synthesis and secretion of monocyte chemotactic protein-1

Monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) is a potent special chemoattractant capable of recruiting monocytes into the subendothelium. In order to study the patterns of fluid shear stress on induction of MCP-1 secretion in cultured human umbilic vein endothelial cells (HUVEC), the relationship of fluid shear stress and the secretion of MCP-1 was examed, cultured HUVEC were subjected to controlled levels of shear stress (0.4, 1.0, 2.0 N/m(2)) in a parallel plate flow chamber. MCP-1 in HUVEC of different periods was measured by immunohistochemistry method and image analysis; MCP-1 in perfusion is measured by ELISA. The results of the experiment demonstrated the secretion of MCP-1 regulated by shear stress was time- and force-dependent. The accumulated level of MCP-1 in HUVEC under lower shear stress (0.4 N/m(2)) for 4 similar to5 h was 3-fold compared with that for static cells. When the shear stress lasted to 6 h, the secretion of MCP-1 was reduced to normal levels and could not be increased. Such research provides data for understanding the mechanism of the contribution of hemodynamic forces to atherosclerosis.