Factor VIII (FVIII) is an essential blood-clotting protein and mutations in the FVIII gene are the cause of hemophilia A, a severe inherited bleeding disorder. FVIII synthesis has been observed in discreet endothelial sub-populations including liver sinusoidal endothelial cells and in selected microvascular beds. The mechanistic basis for this differential expression is unknown. Differences in shear stress are believed to play an important role in determining endothelial heterogeneity. In this study, we have evaluated the effect of various shear stress conditions on FVIII expression in blood outgrowth endothelial progenitor cells (BOECs) with an in vitro flow system. Under static conditions, BOECs do not express FVIII. In contrast, after exposure to laminar shear stress for 48 hrs, a significant increase in FVIII expression was documented by qRT-PCR, regardless of the magnitude of shear stress studied (1, 5, 15 and 30 dynes/cm2). To determine the effect of prolonged shear stress, laminar flow was applied over 120 hrs and FVIII mRNA levels returned to static levels. Induction of gene expression by laminar shear stress followed by repression after longer durations is common to other pro-coagulant genes induced by non-laminar or oscillatory flow (eg. tissue factor). BOECs exposed to 15 dyne/cm2 of shear stress, oscillating every 0.5 sec for 120 hrs, had FVIII mRNA levels 4.7-fold that of cells in static conditions. This was significantly higher than FVIII expression in BOECs exposed to 15 dyne/cm2 of laminar shear stress for the same duration. Expression of KLF2, a transcription factor that suppresses endothelial pro-coagulant gene expression under laminar shear stress, was significantly reduced in BOECs exposed to oscillatory as opposed to laminar shear stress. Finally, in BOECs exposed to oscillatory shear stress, FVIII protein was synthesized and co-localizes with its carrier protein VWF in Weibel-Palade bodies. These studies show that shear stress is a significant regulator of FVIII expression in BOECs, that FVIII expression is inversely correlated with that of KLF2, and that FVIII protein co-localizes with VWF in these cells. / Thesis (Master, Pathology & Molecular Medicine) -- Queen's University, 2013-03-04 17:00:27.994
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:OKQ.1974/7853 |
| Date | 13 March 2013 |
| Creators | Riches, Jonathan Jacob |
| Contributors | Queen's University (Kingston, Ont.). Theses (Queen's University (Kingston, Ont.)) |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | This publication is made available by the authority of the copyright owner solely for the purpose of private study and research and may not be copied or reproduced except as permitted by the copyright laws without written authority from the copyright owner. |
| Relation | Canadian theses |
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