Shyu Kou-Gi
Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Clin Sci (Lond). 2009 Mar;116(5):377-89. doi: 10.1042/CS20080163.
Cells in the cardiovascular system are permanently subjected to mechanical forces due to the pulsatile nature of blood flow and shear stress, created by the beating heart. These haemodynamic forces play an important role in the regulation of vascular development, remodelling, wound healing and atherosclerotic lesion formation. Mechanical stretch can modulate several different cellular functions in VSMCs (vascular smooth muscle cells). These functions include, but are not limited to, cell alignment and differentiation, migration, survival or apoptosis, vascular remodelling, and autocrine and paracrine functions. Laminar shear stress exerts anti-apoptotic, anti-atherosclerotic and antithrombotic effects on ECs (endothelial cells). Mechanical stretch of cardiac myocytes can modulate growth, apoptosis, electric remodelling, alterations in gene expression, and autocrine and paracrine effects. The aim of the present review is primarily to summarize the cellular and molecular effects of mechanical stretch on vascular cells and cardiac myocytes, emphasizing the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation. Knowledge of the impact of mechanical stretch on the cardiovascular system is vital to the understanding of the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases, and is also crucial to provide new insights into the prevention and therapy of cardiovascular diseases.
由于心脏跳动产生的血流脉动特性和剪切应力，心血管系统中的细胞始终受到机械力的作用。这些血流动力学力在血管发育、重塑、伤口愈合和动脉粥样硬化病变形成的调节中起着重要作用。机械拉伸可调节血管平滑肌细胞（VSMC）中的几种不同细胞功能。这些功能包括但不限于细胞排列和分化、迁移、存活或凋亡、血管重塑以及自分泌和旁分泌功能。层流剪切应力对内皮细胞（EC）具有抗凋亡、抗动脉粥样硬化和抗血栓形成作用。心肌细胞的机械拉伸可调节生长、凋亡、电重塑、基因表达改变以及自分泌和旁分泌作用。本综述的目的主要是总结机械拉伸对血管细胞和心肌细胞的细胞和分子影响，强调调节的分子机制。了解机械拉伸对心血管系统的影响对于理解心血管疾病的发病机制至关重要，对于为心血管疾病的预防和治疗提供新见解也至关重要。
