Coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor mediates the responses of endothelial cells to fluid shear stress

Exp Mol Med. 2019 Nov 27;51(11):1-15. doi: 10.1038/s12276-019-0347-7.

Abstract

Endothelial mechanotransduction by fluid shear stress (FSS) modulates endothelial function and vascular pathophysiology through mechanosensors on the cell membrane. The coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor (CAR) is not only a viral receptor but also a component of tight junctions and plays an important role in tissue homeostasis. Here, we demonstrate the expression, regulatory mechanism, and role of CAR in vascular endothelial cells (ECs) under FSS conditions. Disturbed flow increased, whereas unidirectional laminar shear stress (LSS) decreased, CAR expression in ECs through the Krüppel-like factor 2 (KLF2)/activator protein 1 (AP-1) axis. Deletion of CAR reduced the expression of proinflammatory genes and endothelial inflammation induced by disturbed flow via the suppression of NF-κB activation. Consistently, disturbed flow-induced atherosclerosis was reduced in EC-specific CAR KO mice. CAR was found to be involved in endothelial mechanotransduction through the regulation of platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule 1 (PECAM-1) phosphorylation. Our results demonstrate that endothelial CAR is regulated by FSS and that this regulated CAR acts as an important modulator of endothelial mechanotransduction by FSS.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Atherosclerosis / genetics
  • Atherosclerosis / metabolism
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cell Line
  • Coxsackie and Adenovirus Receptor-Like Membrane Protein / genetics
  • Coxsackie and Adenovirus Receptor-Like Membrane Protein / metabolism*
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique
  • Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells
  • Humans
  • Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Phosphorylation / genetics
  • Phosphorylation / physiology
  • Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / genetics
  • Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / metabolism
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Shear Strength / physiology*
  • Signal Transduction / genetics
  • Signal Transduction / physiology
  • Stress, Mechanical
  • Transcription Factor AP-1 / genetics
  • Transcription Factor AP-1 / metabolism

Substances

  • Coxsackie and Adenovirus Receptor-Like Membrane Protein
  • Klf2 protein, mouse
  • Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors
  • Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1
  • Transcription Factor AP-1