基质力学微环境对血管平滑肌细胞功能的影响

New insights into vascular mechanobiology:roles of matrix mechanics in regulating smooth muscle cell function

血管平滑肌细胞是血管壁中的主要细胞类型,处于复杂的基质微环境中。微环境中的力学因素(包括基质刚度、基质微纳拓扑结构以及基质对细胞的几何约束等)可影响平滑肌细胞表型与功能。平滑肌细胞通过特定的机械力感受器感知基质微环境中的机械力刺激,并将机械信号转化为生物化学信号,调控下游基因表达与活性,从而影响平滑肌细胞的各种行为。血管平滑肌细胞行为的异常可破坏血管稳态,导致血管重塑。阐明平滑肌细胞如何感知与传导机械力刺激以及细胞外力学微环境如何调控平滑肌细胞的表型与功能,可为血管疾病的预防与治疗提供新的策略。

Vascular smooth muscle cell(vSMC)is the predominant cell type in the blood vessel wall and is constantly subjected to a complex extracellular microenvironment.Mechanical forces that are conveyed by changes in stiffness/elasticity,geometry and topology of the extracellular matrix have been indicated by experimental studies to affect the phenotype and function of vSMCs.vSMCs perceive the mechanical stimuli from matrix via specialized mechanosensors,translate these stimuli into biochemical signals controlling gene expression and activation,with the consequent modulation in controlling various aspects of SMC behaviors.Changes in vSMC behaviors may further cause disruption of vascular homeostasis and then lead to vascular remodeling.A better understanding of how SMC senses and transduces mechanical forces and how the extracellular mechano-microenvironments regulate SMC phenotype and function may contribute to the development of new therapeutics for vascular diseases.