Loss of elastic fiber integrity compromises common carotid artery function: Implications for vascular aging

J. Ferruzzi; M.R. Bersi; R.P. Mecham; F. Ramirez; H. Yanagisawa; G. Tellides; J.D. Humphrey

doi:10.1016/j.artres.2016.04.001

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Volume 14, Issue C, June 2016, Pages 41 - 52

Loss of elastic fiber integrity compromises common carotid artery function: Implications for vascular aging

Authors

J. Ferruzzi^a, M.R. Bersi^a, R.P. Mecham^b, F. Ramirez^c, H. Yanagisawa^d, G. Tellides^e^{, f}, J.D. Humphrey^a^{, f}^{, *}

^aDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA

^bDepartment of Cell Biology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA

^cDepartments of Pharmacology and Systems Therapeutics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai, New York, NY, USA

^dLife Science Center, Tsukuba Advanced Research Alliance, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan

^eDepartment of Surgery, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA

^fVascular Biology and Therapeutics Program, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA

^*Corresponding author. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Malone Engineering Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA. Tel.: +1 203 432 6428. E-mail address: jay.humphrey@yale.edu (J.D. Humphrey).

Corresponding Author

J.D. Humphrey

Received 25 November 2015, Revised 20 January 2016, Accepted 1 April 2016, Available Online 22 April 2016.

DOI: 10.1016/j.artres.2016.04.001 How to use a DOI?
Keywords: Elastin; Fibrillin-1; Fibulin-5; Elastic energy storage; Distensibility; Pulse wave velocity
Abstract: Competent elastic fibers endow central arteries with the compliance and resilience that are fundamental to their primary mechanical function in vertebrates. That is, by enabling elastic energy to be stored in the arterial wall during systole and then to be used to work on the blood during diastole, elastic fibers decrease ventricular workload and augment blood flow in pulsatile systems. Indeed, because elastic fibers are formed during development and stretched during somatic growth, their continual tendency to recoil contributes to the undulation of the stiffer collagen fibers, which facilitates further the overall compliance of the wall under physiologic pressures while allowing the collagen to limit over-distension during acute increases in blood pressure. In this paper, we use consistent methods of measurement and quantification to compare the biaxial material stiffness, structural stiffness, and energy storage capacity of murine common carotid arteries having graded degrees of elastic fiber integrity – normal, elastin-deficient, fibrillin-1 deficient, fibulin-5 null, and elastase-treated. The finding that the intrinsic material stiffness tends to be maintained nearly constant suggests that intramural cells seek to maintain a favorable micromechanical environment in which to function. Nevertheless, a loss of elastic energy storage capability due to the loss of elastic fiber integrity severely compromises the primary function of these central arteries.
Open Access: This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC license.

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<Previous Article In Issue

Journal: Artery Research
Volume-Issue: 14 - C
Pages: 41 - 52
Publication Date: 2016/04/22
ISSN (Online): 1876-4401
ISSN (Print): 1872-9312
DOI: 10.1016/j.artres.2016.04.001 How to use a DOI?
Open Access: This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC license.

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ris enw bib

TY  - JOUR
AU  - J. Ferruzzi
AU  - M.R. Bersi
AU  - R.P. Mecham
AU  - F. Ramirez
AU  - H. Yanagisawa
AU  - G. Tellides
AU  - J.D. Humphrey
PY  - 2016
DA  - 2016/04/22
TI  - Loss of elastic fiber integrity compromises common carotid artery function: Implications for vascular aging
JO  - Artery Research
SP  - 41
EP  - 52
VL  - 14
IS  - C
SN  - 1876-4401
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.artres.2016.04.001
DO  - 10.1016/j.artres.2016.04.001
ID  - Ferruzzi2016
ER  -

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