The aim of this study was to investigate whether shear stress could promote function of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs)with Shexiang Baoxin Pill (SBP) treatment in vitro, and to study whether shear stress contributed to vascular injury repair by EPCs. EPCs were isolated and characterized; EPCs' proliferation, migration, adhesion, tube formation and eNOS protein level in vitro were investigated by culturing confluent EPCs in 4 mg/mL SBP under physiological shear stress (15 dyne/cm2) for up to 24 hours. Afterwards, EPCs were transfused into rats after wire-induced carotid artery injury augmented re-endothelialization. The results showed that, compared to the SBP group, the shear stress+SBP group obviously enhanced EPCs proliferation, migration, adhesion, tube formation and eNOS protein expression in vitro (P<0.01). After one week, immunofluorescence staining showed that endothelial regeneration rate obviously enhanced in shear stress+SBP group (P<0.01). The present study demonstrates that shear stress can promote function of endothelial progenitor cells treated with SBP, which improves the vascular injury repair potentials of EPCs.
