Artikel
Venous Connexin(Cx) expression in adult rats is highly modulated by haemodynamic changes: A new mechanism in flow-dependent angiogenesis?
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Autoren
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Volker J. Schmidt
- Universitätklinikum Erlangen, Plastisch und Handchirurgische Klinik, Erlangen
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Johannes Hilgert
- Universitätklinikum Erlangen, Plastisch und Handchirurgische Klinik, Erlangen
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Jennifer Covi
- Universitätklinikum Erlangen, Plastisch und Handchirurgische Klinik, Erlangen
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Cor de Wit
- Universität zu Lübeck, Institut für Physiologie, Lübeck
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Elias Polikandriotis
- Universitätklinikum Erlangen, Plastisch und Handchirurgische Klinik, Erlangen
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Christian Weis
- Zentrum für medizinische Physik und Technik, Friedrich Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen
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Andreas Arkudas
- Universitätklinikum Erlangen, Plastisch und Handchirurgische Klinik, Erlangen
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Justus P. Beier
- Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Plastisch und Handchirurgische Klinik, Erlangen
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Ulrich Kneser
- Universitätklinikum Erlangen, Plastisch und Handchirurgische Klinik, Erlangen
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Raymund E. Horch
- Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Plastisch und Handchirurgische Klinik, Erlangen
| Veröffentlicht: | 23. April 2012 |
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Gliederung
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Introduction: Vascular gap junction communication provides a coordinated behaviour within the microcirculation and is the requirement for the adaptation of blood supply to changing tissue demands in the skeletal muscle. Gap junctions in the vascular system are composed of four distinct connexins (Cxs) (Cx37, Cx40, Cx43, Cx45) that own unique properties for signal conduction along the vessel wall as shown previously. Recent studies suggest that these proteins may also affect the formation of new blood vessel and that they might be sensitive to haemodynamic changes.
Materials and methods: In the present study a rat AV-Loop model was used in which an interpositioned a venous graft was exposed to a high shunt blood flow and to an arterial flow pattern. We have recently shown that in this approach angiogenesis occurs predominantly within the venous part of the loop. Aim of the current study is to characterize the haemodynamic properties of the rat femoral AV-Loop using ultrasound transit technology and to investigate, if the exposition to an arterial flow pattern affects the venous expression of Cx40, Cx37 and Cx43. Therefore Cx expression was verified by immunofluorescence and RT-PCR.
Results: Within the AV-Loop the venous graft was exposed to a 8,8 fold higher median blood flow and to heart cycle dependent changes in flow that were comparable to the arterial system. Interestingly, these environmental changes impaired the endothelial specific expression of Cx37 and Cx40 within the venous graft continuously. However, the expression of Cx43 which was reported to be potentially angiogenic increased significantly within the venous graft at all observation points.
Conclusion: We hypothesise that the latter finding might be at least partially responsible for the remarkable angiogenic potential of venous vessels after exposition to an arterial blood flow pattern.
