Hypoxia alters biophysical properties of endothelial cells via p38 MAPK- and Rho kinase-dependent pathways

2005 ◽  
Vol 289 (3) ◽  
pp. C521-C530 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven S. An ◽  
Corin M. Pennella ◽  
Achuta Gonnabathula ◽  
Jianxin Chen ◽  
Ning Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Endothelial Cells ◽  
Actin Polymerization ◽  
Rho Kinase ◽  
Small Heat Shock Protein ◽  
Cell Stiffness ◽  
Microvascular Endothelial Cells ◽  
Pulmonary Vasculature ◽  
Biophysical Properties ◽  
Traction Forces ◽  
Downstream Effector

Hypoxia alters the barrier function of the endothelial cells that line the pulmonary vasculature, but underlying biophysical mechanisms remain unclear. Using rat pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (RPMEC) in culture, we report herein changes in biophysical properties, both in space and in time, that occur in response to hypoxia. We address also the molecular basis of these changes. At the level of the single cell, we measured cell stiffness, the distribution of traction forces exerted by the cell on its substrate, and spontaneous nanoscale motions of microbeads tightly bound to the cytoskeleton (CSK). Hypoxia increased cell stiffness and traction forces by a mechanism that was dependent on the activation of Rho kinase. These changes were followed by p38-mediated decreases in spontaneous bead motions, indicating stabilization of local cellular-extracellular matrix (ECM) tethering interactions. Cells overexpressing phospho-mimicking small heat shock protein (HSP27-PM), a downstream effector of p38, exhibited decreases in spontaneous bead motions that correlated with increases in actin polymerization in these cells. Together, these findings suggest that hypoxia differentially regulates endothelial cell contraction and cellular-ECM adhesion.

Lysophosphatidic acid-mediated augmentation of cardiomyocyte lipoprotein lipase involves actin cytoskeleton reorganization

2005 ◽  
Vol 288 (6) ◽  
pp. H2802-H2810 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Pulinilkunnil ◽  
Ding An ◽  
Sanjoy Ghosh ◽  
Dake Qi ◽  
Girish Kewalramani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Actin Cytoskeleton ◽  
Lipoprotein Lipase ◽  
Lysophosphatidic Acid ◽  
Actin Polymerization ◽  
Contractile Function ◽  
Rho Kinase ◽  
Filamentous Actin ◽  
Membrane Translocation ◽  
Downstream Effector ◽  
Cytoskeleton Reorganization

The lipoprotein lipase (LPL)-augmenting property of lysophosphatidylcholine requires the formation of lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) ( J Mol Cell Cardiol 37: 931–938, 2004). Given that the actin cytoskeleton has been implicated in regulating cardiomyocyte LPL, we examined whether LPL secretion after LPA involves actin cytoskeleton reassembly. Incubation of myocytes with LPA (1–100 nM) increased basal and heparin-releasable LPL (HR-LPL), an effect that was independent of shifts in LPL mRNA. The influence of LPA on myocyte LPL was reflected at the coronary lumen, with substantial increases of the enzyme at this location. Incubation of myocytes with cytochalasin D not only blocked LPA-induced augmentation of HR-LPL but also abrogated filamentous actin formation. These effects of LPA were likely receptor mediated. Exposure of myocytes to LPA facilitated significant membrane translocation of RhoA and its downstream effector Rho kinase I (ROCK I), and blocking this effect with Y-27632 appreciably reduced basal and HR-LPL activity. Incubation of adipose tissue with LPA also significantly enhanced basal and HR-LPL activity, suggesting that sarcomeric actin likely has a limited role in influencing the LPL secretory function of LPA in the myocyte. Comparable to LPA, hyperglycemia also caused significant membrane translocation of RhoA and ROCK I in hearts isolated from diazoxide-treated animals, effects that were abrogated using insulin. Overall, our data suggest that comparable to hyperglycemia, LPA-induced increases in cardiac LPL occurred via posttranscriptional mechanisms and processes that likely required RhoA activation and actin polymerization. Whether this increase in LPL augments triglyceride deposition in the heart leading to eventual impairment in contractile function is currently unknown.

scholarly journals Regulation of mitochondrial fragmentation in microvascular endothelial cells isolated from the SU5416/hypoxia model of pulmonary arterial hypertension

2019 ◽  
Vol 317 (5) ◽  
pp. L639-L652 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karthik Suresh ◽  
Laura Servinsky ◽  
Haiyang Jiang ◽  
Zahna Bigham ◽  
Joel Zaldumbide ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Endothelial Cells ◽  
Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension ◽  
Arterial Hypertension ◽  
Microvascular Endothelial Cells ◽  
Pulmonary Vasculature ◽  
Mitochondrial Morphology ◽  
Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid ◽  
Mitochondrial Fragmentation ◽  
Pulmonary Arterial ◽  
Microvascular Endothelial

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a morbid disease characterized by progressive right ventricle (RV) failure due to elevated pulmonary artery pressures (PAP). In PAH, histologically complex vaso-occlusive lesions in the pulmonary vasculature contribute to elevated PAP. However, the mechanisms underlying dysfunction of the microvascular endothelial cells (MVECs) that comprise a significant portion of these lesions are not well understood. We recently showed that MVECs isolated from the Sugen/hypoxia (SuHx) rat experimental model of PAH (SuHx-MVECs) exhibit increases in migration/proliferation, mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS; mtROS) production, intracellular calcium levels ([Ca2+]i), and mitochondrial fragmentation. Furthermore, quenching mtROS with the targeted antioxidant MitoQ attenuated basal [Ca2+]i, migration and proliferation; however, whether increased mtROS-induced [Ca2+]i entry affected mitochondrial morphology was not clear. In this study, we sought to better understand the relationship between increased ROS, [Ca2+]i, and mitochondrial morphology in SuHx-MVECs. We measured changes in mitochondrial morphology at baseline and following inhibition of mtROS, with the targeted antioxidant MitoQ, or transient receptor potential vanilloid-4 (TRPV4) channels, which we previously showed were responsible for mtROS-induced increases in [Ca2+]i in SuHx-MVECs. Quenching mtROS or inhibiting TRPV4 attenuated fragmentation in SuHx-MVECs. Conversely, inducing mtROS production in MVECs from normoxic rats (N-MVECs) increased fragmentation. Ca2+ entry induced by the TRPV4 agonist GSK1017920A was significantly increased in SuHx-MVECs and was attenuated with MitoQ treatment, indicating that mtROS contributes to increased TRPV4 activity in SuHx-MVECs. Basal and maximal respiration were depressed in SuHx-MVECs, and inhibiting mtROS, but not TRPV4, improved respiration in these cells. Collectively, our data show that, in SuHx-MVECs, mtROS production promotes TRPV4-mediated increases in [Ca2+]i, mitochondrial fission, and decreased mitochondrial respiration. These results suggest an important role for mtROS in driving MVEC dysfunction in PAH.

Difference in proangiogenic potential of systemic and pulmonary endothelium: role of CXCR2

2005 ◽  
Vol 288 (6) ◽  
pp. L1117-L1123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aigul Moldobaeva ◽  
Elizabeth M. Wagner
Keyword(s):  
Endothelial Cells ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Cell Surface Expression ◽  
Endothelial Cell Proliferation ◽  
Microvascular Endothelial Cells ◽  
Pulmonary Vasculature ◽  
Cathepsin S ◽  
Thymidine Uptake ◽  
Pulmonary Endothelium ◽  
Microvascular Endothelial

The systemic vasculature in and surrounding the lung is proangiogenic, whereas the pulmonary vasculature rarely participates in neovascularization. We studied the effects of the proangiogenic ELR+ CXC chemokine MIP-2 (macrophage inflammatory protein-2) on endothelial cell proliferation and chemotaxis. Mouse aortic, pulmonary arterial, and lung microvascular endothelial cells were isolated and subcultured. Proliferation ([3H]thymidine uptake) and migration (Transwell chemotaxis) were evaluated in each cell type at baseline and upon exposure to MIP-2 (1–100 ng/ml) without and with exposure to hypoxia (24 h)-reoxygenation. Baseline proliferation did not vary among cell types, and all cells showed increased proliferation after MIP-2. Aortic cell chemotaxis increased markedly upon exposure to MIP-2; however, neither pulmonary artery nor lung microvascular endothelial cells responded to this chemokine. Assessment of CXCR2, the G protein-coupled receptor through which MIP-2 signals, displayed no baseline difference in mRNA, protein, or cell surface expression among cell types. Exposure to hypoxia increased expression of CXCR2 of aortic endothelial cells only. Additionally, aortic cells, compared with pulmonary cells, showed significantly greater protein and activity of cathepsin S, a proteolytic enzyme important for cell motility. Thus the combined effects of increased cathepsin S activity, providing increased motility and enhanced CXCR2 expression after hypoxia, both contribute to the proangiogenic phenotype of systemic arterial endothelial cells.

CaMK4 Is a Downstream Effector of the α1G T-type Calcium Channel to Determine the Angiogenic Potential of Pulmonary Microvascular Endothelial Cells

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhen Zheng ◽  
Xuelin Wang ◽  
Yuxia Wang ◽  
Judy A.C. King ◽  
Peilin Xie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Proliferation ◽  
Endothelial Cells ◽  
Network Formation ◽  
Microvascular Endothelial Cells ◽  
Angiogenic Potential ◽  
Akt Phosphorylation ◽  
Pulmonary Microvascular Endothelial Cells ◽  
Downstream Effector ◽  
Phosphorylation Level ◽  
Microvascular Endothelial

Pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (PMVECs) uniquely express an α1G-subtype of voltage-gated T-type Ca2+ channel. We have previously revealed that the α1G channel functions as a background Ca2+ entry pathway that is critical for the cell proliferation, migration, and angiogenic potential of PMVECs, a novel function attributed to the coupling between α1G-mediate Ca2+ entry and constitutive Akt phosphorylation and activation. Despite this significance, mechanism(s) that link the α1G-mediated Ca2+ entry to Akt phosphorylation remain incompletely understood. In the present study, we demonstrate that Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CaMK) 4 serves as a downstream effector of the α1G-mediated Ca2+ entry to promote the angiogenic potential of PMVECs. Notably, CaMK2 and CaMK4 are both expressed in PMVECs. Pharmacological blockade or genetic knockdown of the α1G channel led to a significant reduction in the phosphorylation level of CaMK4 but not the phosphorylation level of CaMK2. Pharmacological inhibition as well as genetic knockdown of CaMK4 significantly decreased cell proliferation, migration, and network formation capacity in PMVECs. However, CaMK4 inhibition or knockdown did not alter Akt phosphorylation status in PMVECs, indicating that α1G/Ca2+/CaMK4 is independent of the α1G/Ca2+/Akt pathway in sustaining the cells' angiogenic potential. Altogether, these findings suggest a novel α1G-CaMK4 signaling complex that regulates the Ca2+-dominated angiogenic potential in PMVECs.

scholarly journals Oligomeric Amyloid-β Peptide on Sialylic Lewisx–Selectin Bonding at Cerebral Endothelial Surface

2014 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sholpan Askarova ◽  
Grace Y. Sun ◽  
Gerald A. Meininger ◽  
James Lee
Keyword(s):  
Endothelial Cells ◽  
Actin Polymerization ◽  
Neurodegenerative Disorder ◽  
Practical Importance ◽  
Amyloid Β ◽  
Cell Stiffness ◽  
Amyloid Β Peptide ◽  
Rupture Force ◽  
Adhesion Properties ◽  
Cerebral Endothelial Cells

Introduction: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder, which affects approximately 10% of the population aged 65 and 40% of people over the age 80. Currently, AD is on the list of diseases with no effective treatment. Thus, the study of molecular and cellular mechanisms of AD progression is of high scientific and practical importance. In fact, dysfunction of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) plays an important role in the onset and progression of the disease. Increased deposition of amyloid b peptide (Aβ) in cerebral vasculature and enhanced transmigration of monocytes across the BBB are frequently observed in AD brains and are some of the pathological hallmarks of the diseases. Since the transmigration of monocytes across the BBB is both a mechanical and a biochemical process, the expression of adhesion molecules and mechanical properties of endothelial cells are the critical factors that require investigation.Methods: Because of recent advances in the biological applications of atomic force microscopy (AFM), we applied AFM with cantilever tips bio-functionalized by sLex in combination with the advanced immunofluorescent microscopy (QIM) to study the direct effects of Aβ42 oligomers on the selectins expression, actin polymerization, and cellular mechanical and adhesion properties in cerebral endothelial cells (mouse bEnd3 line and primary human CECs) and find a possible way to attenuate these effects. Results: QIM results showed that Aβ42 increased the expressions of P-selectin on the cell surface and enhanced actin polymerization. Consistent with our QIM results, AFM data showed that Aβ42 increased the probability of cell adhesion with sLex-coated cantilever and cell stiffness. These effects were counteracted by lovstatin, a cholesterol-lowering drug.  Surprisingly, the apparent rupture force of sLex-selectin bonding was significantly lower after treatment with Aβ42, as compared with the control (i.e. no treatment). Similar results were also obtained when cells were treated with latruculin A (F-actin-disrupting drug). These results suggest that the decrease in the apparent rupture force of sLex-selectin bonding is the consequence of the dissociation of adhesion between the cytoskeleton and the bilayer membrane induced by Aβ42. The major causes of excess mortality in the first group were neoplams (30.6%), hypertension (23.8%), and myocardial infarction (22.6%). The effects of radiation influenced mortality in the second group were 2-2.5 times lower than the first group. Conclusion: The studies of the effects of Aβ42 on the adhesion properties of cerebral endothelial cells and how pharmacological agents (e.g. statin) counteract these effects should prove to provide insights into the mechanism of inflammation in Alzheimer’s brains and the design of therapeutic treatments of the disease.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document