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

Abstract
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 GDPβS 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.