Abnormalities of blood cholesterol concentration are associated with increased risks for vascular disease, especially heart attacks and strokes. As one of the main lipid components of plasma membrane in all mammalian cells, cholesterol has a major impact on the mechanical properties of the membrane of endothelial cells. Although the effect of cholesterol depletion on cell mechanical properties has been studied, no results yet have been reported on quantitative investigation of cholesterol repletion effect. In this study, the cholesterol repletion effect on the nanomechanical properties of human umbilical vein endothelial cell (EA.hy926) was studied using a control-based atomic force microscope (AFM) nanomechanical measurement protocol. The viscoelasticity of EA.hy926 cells were measured over a large frequency range (0.1–100 Hz) using both constant-rate excitation force with different loading rates and a broadband excitation force. The viscoelasticity oscillation of the cell membranes under the cholesterol effect was also monitored in real-time. The experiment results showed that under the effect of cholesterol repletion, both the Young's modulus and the complex modulus of EA.hy926 cell were increased over 30%, respectively, and moreover, the amplitudes of both the elasticity oscillation and the viscosity oscillation at a period of around 200 s were increased over 70%, respectively. Therefore, this work is among the first to investigate the mechanical properties, particularly, the broadband viscoelasticity variations of EA.hy926 cells under cholesterol repletion treatment. The results revealed that cholesterol repletion may reinforce the coupling of F-actin to plasma membrane by increasing actin stability, and the cholesterol might have modified the submembrane cytoskeletal organization of EA.hy926 cell by causing the involvement of the motor protein nonmuscle myosin II.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
March 2017
Technical Briefs
Study of Cholesterol Repletion Effect on Nanomechanical Properties of Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cell Via Rapid Broadband Atomic Force Microscopy
Bo Yan,
Bo Yan
School of Electrical Engineering,
University of Electrical Science and Engineering,
Chengdu 60054, China
University of Electrical Science and Engineering,
Chengdu 60054, China
Search for other works by this author on:
Juan Ren,
Juan Ren
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Iowa State University,
Ames, IA 50011
Iowa State University,
Ames, IA 50011
Search for other works by this author on:
Yue Liu,
Yue Liu
Department of Chemical Biology,
Rutgers University,
Piscataway, NJ 08854
Rutgers University,
Piscataway, NJ 08854
Search for other works by this author on:
Huarong Huang,
Huarong Huang
Allan H. Conney Laboratory,
Guangdong University of Technology,
Guangzhou 510006, China
Guangdong University of Technology,
Guangzhou 510006, China
Search for other works by this author on:
Xi Zheng,
Xi Zheng
Department of Chemical Biology,
Rutgers University,
Piscataway, NJ 08854
Rutgers University,
Piscataway, NJ 08854
Search for other works by this author on:
Qingze Zou
Qingze Zou
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering,
Rutgers University,
Piscataway, NJ 08854
e-mail: qzzou@rci.rutgers.edu
Rutgers University,
Piscataway, NJ 08854
e-mail: qzzou@rci.rutgers.edu
Search for other works by this author on:
Bo Yan
School of Electrical Engineering,
University of Electrical Science and Engineering,
Chengdu 60054, China
University of Electrical Science and Engineering,
Chengdu 60054, China
Juan Ren
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Iowa State University,
Ames, IA 50011
Iowa State University,
Ames, IA 50011
Yue Liu
Department of Chemical Biology,
Rutgers University,
Piscataway, NJ 08854
Rutgers University,
Piscataway, NJ 08854
Huarong Huang
Allan H. Conney Laboratory,
Guangdong University of Technology,
Guangzhou 510006, China
Guangdong University of Technology,
Guangzhou 510006, China
Xi Zheng
Department of Chemical Biology,
Rutgers University,
Piscataway, NJ 08854
Rutgers University,
Piscataway, NJ 08854
Qingze Zou
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering,
Rutgers University,
Piscataway, NJ 08854
e-mail: qzzou@rci.rutgers.edu
Rutgers University,
Piscataway, NJ 08854
e-mail: qzzou@rci.rutgers.edu
1B. Yan and J. Ren contributed equally to this work.
2Corresponding author.
Manuscript received December 8, 2015; final manuscript received November 4, 2016; published online January 23, 2017. Assoc. Editor: Mohammad Mofrad.
J Biomech Eng. Mar 2017, 139(3): 034501 (5 pages)
Published Online: January 23, 2017
Article history
Received:
December 8, 2015
Revised:
November 4, 2016
Citation
Yan, B., Ren, J., Liu, Y., Huang, H., Zheng, X., and Zou, Q. (January 23, 2017). "Study of Cholesterol Repletion Effect on Nanomechanical Properties of Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cell Via Rapid Broadband Atomic Force Microscopy." ASME. J Biomech Eng. March 2017; 139(3): 034501. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4035260
Download citation file:
Get Email Alerts
Evaluating the Biomechanical Effects and Real-World Usability of a Novel Ankle Exo for Runners
J Biomech Eng (March 2025)
Related Articles
2016 Editors' Choice Papers
J Biomech Eng (February,2017)
Effect of Osmotic Pressure on Cellular Stiffness as Evaluated Through Force Mapping Measurements
J Biomech Eng (May,2018)
Nonlinear Elastic and Inelastic Properties of Cells
J Biomech Eng (October,2020)
Mechanical Characterization of Differentiated Human Embryonic Stem Cells
J Biomech Eng (June,2009)
Related Proceedings Papers
Related Chapters
Processing/Structure/Properties Relationships in Polymer Blends for the Development of Functional Polymer Foams
Advances in Multidisciplinary Engineering
Introduction
Ultrasonic Methods for Measurement of Small Motion and Deformation of Biological Tissues for Assessment of Viscoelasticity
Chitosan-Based Drug Delivery Systems
Chitosan and Its Derivatives as Promising Drug Delivery Carriers