Figure 5.

Nuclear translocation of VEGFR2 mediated by shear stress does not occur in endothelial cells lacking the VE-cadherin gene. BAECs (A), endothelial cells null for VE-cadherin (VE-cad −/−), and the same cells stably retransfected with VE-cadherin (VE-cad +/+, B) were grown under static conditions or exposed to LSS (10 dynes/cm²) for various time intervals. Nuclear fractions were prepared and tested for the presence of VEGFR2 (double arrow) by using immunoblotting. Note the rapid (2′) nuclear translocation of VEGFR2 after shear stress in BAECs and VE-cadherin +/+ cells.