MRNA expression on shape-engineered endothelial cells: adhesion molecules ICAM-1 and VCAM-1

This study was designed to assess the effect of cell shape on mRNA expression of two adhesion molecules, intracellular adhesion molecule-1 and vascular adhesion molecule-1, on endothelial cells. Photo-microprocessing using photoreactive poly(ethylene glycol) produced two different patterned-cell adhesive regions on tissue culture dishes: one is a striped region on which adhered cells are highly elongated and aligned along the long axis of the striped pattern, and the other is a circular region on which cells are less spread out and rounded. mRNA expressions, measured by the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction technique, revealed higher mRNA expression for intracellular adhesion molecule-1 and lower mRNA expression for vascular adhesion molecule-1 on elongated cells than those on round cells. This indicates that surface-induced cell shape induces changes in the mRNA expression of these molecules. The significance of cell-shape-induced mRNA expression is discussed in conjunction with the experimental results of flow-induced expression at molecular and mRNA levels.