Endoplasmic reticulum stress, redox, and a proinflammatory environment in athero-susceptible endothelium in vivo at sites of complex hemodynamic shear stress.

Endothelial phenotype heterogeneity plays an important role in the susceptibility of arteries to atherosclerosis. Regions of blood flow disturbance correlate with the development of disease. Here, we briefly outline the association of endoplasmic reticulum stress with endothelium in regions of athero-susceptibility in vivo. It is an important example of susceptible cell phenotype that is likely linked to proinflammatory and oxidative stress pathways. The endothelium in such regions is chronically exposed to complex hemodynamic shear stresses that may be considered as a risk factor for atherosclerosis via these mechanisms.