Continuous stretch-relaxation in culture alters rat mesangial cell morphology, growth characteristics, and metabolic activity.

Mesangial cells serve many functions in the glomerulus, including regulation of glomerular ultrafiltration coefficient, matrix production, and eicosanoid generation. The glomerulus is a vascular bed, and the mesangial cell is continually exposed to rhythmic alterations in intraglomerular pressure. Since increased intraglomerular pressure has been implicated as a potential causative agent in the ultimate development of nephrosclerosis, we sought to determine the effect of continuous stretch-relaxation upon parameters of mesangial cell growth and function. Early passage (2-4) cultured rat mesangial cells were plated onto either rigid-bottom or flexible-bottom culture plates coated with type I collagen. After cell attachment, the cells on flexible supports were exposed to continuous stretch-relaxation for 72 to 96 hours at a rate of 100 cycles/minutes at an applied pressure of 7 to 8 KPa (53 to 61 mm Hg). Cellular morphology was altered by continuous stretch-relaxation, with the majority of mesangial cells presenting stellate or straplike morphology. Fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled phalloidin staining indicated an increase in density of actin filaments running the long axis of the cell. Stretch-relaxation resulted in an approximately 50% increase in cell number. Prostaglandin production, assessed as irPGE2 production, was increased by stretching in mesangial cells from 28 +/- 1 to 49 +/- 4 pg/10(6) cells (N = 12; p less than 0.005). Mechanical stretch/relaxation increased the percentage of protein representing collagenous proteins from 47 +/- 6% to 70 +/- 4%, as assessed by collagenase susceptibility (p less than 0.025). Analysis of pepsin-resistant proteins synthesized indicated that stretch/relaxation resulted in increases in the relative amounts of types I and III collagens produced/cell. Additionally, stretch/relaxation selectively increased the relative amount of type I-homotrimers produced. Thus, when mesangial cells are exposed to cyclic stretch/relaxation, they exhibit significant alterations in morphology, growth, prostaglandin and collagen production.