Modulation of EC stiffening response by a cell-permeant phosphoinositide-binding peptide.

Twenty-four-hour TNF-α–treated ECs were pretreated with 10 μM phosphoinositide-binding peptide or the control peptide for 30 minutes along with anti–β₁-integrin–coated beads. The stiffness before or 2, 6, 10, and 15 minutes after neutrophil adherence was evaluated as described before. Data are expressed as mean ± SEM (n = 3). ●, control peptide; ○, phosphoinositide-binding peptide. *P < .05 when compared to the control peptide–pretreated cells.