Flow-induced prostacyclin production is mediated by a pertussis toxin-sensitive G protein

Fluid flow and several other agonists induce prostacyclin (PGI2) production in endothelial cells. G proteins mediate the response of a large number of hormones such as histamine, but the transduction pathway of the flow signal is unclear. We found that GDP beta S and pertussis toxin inhibited flow-induced prostacyclin production in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. In addition, flow potentiated the histamine-induced production of PGI2. This suggests that flow stimulates prostacyclin production via a pertussis toxin-sensitive G protein and modulates the stimulus-response coupling of other agonists.