Endothelial Mechanobiology in Atherosclerosis Dynamics

The vascular endothelium acts as a dynamic interface that senses and transduces mechanical forces—most notably wall shear stress—into biochemical signals that govern vascular health and disease. In regions of arterial curvature, branching or stenosis, disturbed or low shear profiles promote endothelial dysfunction, upregulation of pro-inflammatory pathways and enhanced permeability to lipids, fostering focal plaque formation. Conversely, laminar high shear stress tends to reinforce barrier integrity, nitric oxide production and anti-inflammatory gene programmes. As lesions mature, local flow patterns and cyclic stretch not only influence lipid accumulation and immune cell recruitment but also shape plaque composition and vulnerability. Insights into endothelial mechanotransduction—the conversion of fluid forces into molecular responses via the glycocalyx, cell–cell junctions and integrin complexes—have revealed key regulators of plaque initiation, progression and stability. Understanding these processes underpins emerging diagnostic and interventional strategies, from flow-targeted drug delivery to device design, and highlights the endothelium as both a sensor and effector in atherosclerosis dynamics.

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Endothelial Mechanobiology in Atherosclerosis Dynamics publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in endothelial mechanobiology in atherosclerosis dynamics across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Wall shear stress (WSS): The tangential force per unit area exerted by flowing blood on the endothelial surface, critical in regulating cell phenotype and gene expression.

Endothelial mechanotransduction: The molecular process by which endothelial cells convert mechanical stimuli (e.g. shear stress, cyclic strain) into intracellular biochemical signals.

Endothelial glycocalyx: A carbohydrate-rich layer on the luminal surface of endothelial cells that influences mechanosensing, barrier function and shear-dependent signalling.

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD): A numerical technique used to simulate and analyse complex flow patterns and shear stress distributions within vascular geometries.

References

1. Shear stress regulation of nanoparticle uptake in vascular endothelial cells. Regenerative Biomaterials (2023).
2. Wall Shear Stress (WSS) Analysis in Atherosclerosis in Partial Ligated Apolipoprotein E Knockout Mouse Model through Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2024).
3. Restoration of normal blood flow in atherosclerotic arteries promotes plaque stabilization. iScience (2023).