Dynamics of plasma membrane cholesterol affects mitochondrial bioenergetics in endothelial cells

抄録

Vascular endothelial cells (ECs) play critical roles in regulating a variety of vascular functions in response to hemodynamic forces, namely, shear stress and stretch. Endothelial plasma membranes have recently been shown to respond differently to shear stress and stretch, by changing their lipid order, membrane fluidity, and cholesterol content. Such changes in the membranes' physical properties trigger the activation of membrane receptors and cell responses specific to each type of force. Real-time imaging of mitochondrial ATP demonstrated the novel role of endothelial mitochondria as mechanosignaling organelles that are able to transduce shear stress into ATP generation, triggering ATP release and purinoceptor-mediated Ca²⁺ signaling within the cells. These results suggest the novel role of the mitochondria in transducing the shear stress into ATP generation.