Numerical simulation of nucleotide transport in the human thoracic aorta

Extracellular adenine nucleotides ATP and ADP on vascular endothelial cells may play a role in the localization of atherogenesis by regulating the release of nitric oxide from endothelial cells and modulating intracellular calcium levels. To quantitatively investigate the concentration distribution of nucleotides on the luminal surface of the human thoracic aorta, we numerically simulated the transport of nucleotides using an aorta model constructed based on MRI images and analyzed the effects of different factors on nucleotide transport, such as ATP release rate (S(ATP)), pulsatile flow and the absence of ATP in the main blood stream. The numerical results revealed that the combined concentration of ATP and ADP (c(w-ATP+ADP)) on the aortic surface varied from place to place, being relatively low in disturbed flow regions. In addition, c(w-ATP+ADP) was significantly affected by S(ATP). For relatively slow S(ATP), such as the moderate sigmoidal release model, c(w-ATP+ADP) was very low in certain flow regions with low wall shear stress. However, for very rapid S(ATP), such as the rapid linear release model, c(w-ATP+ADP) was relatively high in these same regions. The results also demonstrated that for relatively slow S(ATP), pulsatile blood flow enhanced c(w-ATP+ADP). However, for very rapid S(ATP), pulsatile blood flow would reduce c(w-ATP+ADP). Moreover, the absence of ATP within the main blood stream would not influence the distribution of c(w-ATP+ADP). In conclusion, the concentration distribution of nucleotides along the aortic wall was quite uneven and determined by both the ATP release rate and the blood flow pattern in the aorta.