Role of glycolytically generated ATP for CaMKII-mediated regulation of intracellular Ca2+ signaling in bovine vascular endothelial cells

The role of glycolytically generated ATP in Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaMKII)-mediated regulation of intracellular Ca2+ signaling was examined in cultured calf pulmonary artery endothelial (CPAE) cells. Exposure of cells (extracellular Ca2+ concentration = 2 mM) to glycolytic inhibitors 2-deoxy-d-glucose (2-DG), pyruvate (pyr) + β-hydroxybutyrate (β-HB), or iodoacetic acid (IAA) caused an increase of intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i). CaMKII inhibitors (KN-93, W-7) triggered a similar increase of [Ca2+]i. The rise of [Ca2+]i was characterized by a transient spike followed by a small sustained plateau of elevated [Ca2+]i. In the absence of extracellular Ca2+ 2-DG caused an increase in [Ca2+]i, suggesting that inhibition of glycolysis directly triggered release of Ca2+ from intracellular endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca2+ stores. The inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (IP3R) inhibitor 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate abolished the KN-93- and 2-DG-induced Ca2+ response. Ca2+ release was initiated in peripheral cytoplasmic processes from which activation propagated as a [Ca2+]i wave toward the central region of the cell. Focal application of 2-DG resulted in spatially confined elevations of [Ca2+]i. Propagating [Ca2+]i waves were preceded by [Ca2+]i oscillations and small, highly localized elevations of [Ca2+]i (Ca2+ puffs). Inhibition of glycolysis with 2-DG reduced the KN-93-induced Ca2+ response, and vice versa during inhibition of CaMKII 2-DG-induced Ca2+ release was attenuated. Similar results were obtained with pyr + β-HB and W-7. Furthermore, 2-DG and IAA caused a rapid increase of intracellular Mg2+ concentration, indicating a concomitant drop of cellular ATP levels. In conclusion, CaMKII exerts a profound inhibition of ER Ca2+ release in CPAE cells, which is mediated by glycolytically generated ATP, possibly through ATP-dependent phosphorylation of the IP3R.

Modulation of intracellular Ca2+ release and capacitative Ca2+ entry by CaMKII inhibitors in bovine vascular endothelial cells

The effects of inhibitors of CaMKII on intracellular Ca2+ signaling were examined in single calf pulmonary artery endothelial (CPAE) cells using indo-1 microfluorometry to measure cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i). The three CaMKII inhibitors, KN-93, KN-62, and autocamtide-2-related inhibitory peptide (AIP), all reduced the plateau phase of the [Ca2+]i transient evoked by stimulation with extracellular ATP. Exposure to KN-93 or AIP alone in the presence of 2 mM extracellular Ca2+ resulted in a dose-dependent increase of [Ca2+]i consisting of a rapid and transient Ca2+ spike followed by a small sustained plateau phase of elevated [Ca2+]i. Exposure to KN-93 in the absence of extracellular Ca2+ caused a transient rise of [Ca2+]i, suggesting that exposure to CaMKII inhibitors directly triggered release of Ca2+ from intracellular endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca2+ stores. Repetitive stimulation with KN-93 and ATP, respectively, revealed that both components released Ca2+ largely from the same store. Pretreatment of CPAE cells with the membrane-permeable inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) receptor blocker 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate caused a significant inhibition of the KN-93-induced Ca2+ response, suggesting that exposure to KN-93 affects Ca2+ release from an IP3-sensitive store. Depletion of Ca2+ stores by exposure to ATP or to the ER Ca2+ pump inhibitor thapsigargin triggered robust capacitative Ca2+ entry (CCE) signals in CPAE cells that could be blocked effectively with KN-93. The data suggest that in CPAE cells, CaMKII modulates Ca2+ handling at different levels. The use of CaMKII inhibitors revealed that in CPAE cells, the most profound effects of CaMKII are inhibition of release of Ca2+ from intracellular stores and activation of CCE.

Mitochondrial calcium uptake stimulates nitric oxide production in mitochondria of bovine vascular endothelial cells

Although nitric oxide (NO) is a known modulator of cell respiration in vascular endothelium, the presence of a mitochondria-specific nitric oxide synthase (mtNOS) in these cells is still a controversial issue. We have used laser scanning confocal microscopy in combination with the NO-sensitive fluorescent dye DAF-2 to monitor changes in NO production by mitochondria of calf vascular endothelial (CPAE) cells. Cells were loaded with the membrane-permeant NO-sensitive dye 4,5-diaminofluorescein (DAF-2) diacetate and subsequently permeabilized with digitonin to remove cytosolic DAF-2 to allow measurements of NO production in mitochondria ([NO]mt). Stimulation of mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake by exposure to different cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentrations (1, 2, and 5 μM) resulted in a dose-dependent increase of NO production by mitochondria. This increase of [NO]mt was sensitive to the NOS antagonist l- N5-(1-iminoethyl)ornithine and the calmodulin antagonist calmidazolium (R-24571), demonstrating the endogenous origin of NO synthesis and its calmodulin dependence. Collapsing the mitochondrial membrane potential with the protonophore FCCP or blocking the mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter with ruthenium red, as well as blocking the respiratory chain with antimycin A in combination with oligomycin, inhibited mitochondrial NO production. Addition of the NO donor spermine NONOate caused a profound increase in DAF-2 fluorescence that was not affected by either of these treatments. The mitochondrial origin of the DAF-2 signals was confirmed by colocalization with the mitochondrial marker MitoTracker Red and by the observation that disruption of caveolae (where cytoplasmic NOS is localized) formation with methyl-β-cyclodextrin did not prevent the increase of DAF-2 fluorescence. The activation of mitochondrial calcium uptake stimulates mtNOS phosphorylation (at Ser-1177) which was prevented by FCCP. The data demonstrate that stimulation of mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake activates NO production in mitochondria of CPAE cells. This indicates the presence of a mitochondria-specific NOS that can provide a fast local modulatory effect of NO on cell respiration, membrane potential, and apoptosis.

RhoA exerts a permissive effect on volume-regulated anion channels in vascular endothelial cells

Cell swelling triggers in most cell types an outwardly rectifying anion current, ICl,swell, via volume-regulated anion channels (VRACs). We have previously demonstrated in calf pulmonary artery endothelial (CPAE) cells that inhibition of the Rho/Rho kinase/myosin light chain phosphorylation pathway reduces the swelling-dependent activation of ICl,swell. However, these experiments did not allow us to discriminate between a direct activator role or a permissive effect. We now show that the Rho pathway did not affect VRAC activity if this pathway was activated by transfecting CPAE cells with constitutively active isoforms of Gα (a Rho activating heterotrimeric G protein subunit), Rho, or Rho kinase. Furthermore, biochemical and morphological analysis failed to demonstrate activation of the Rho pathway during hypotonic cell swelling. Finally, manipulating the Rho pathway with either guanosine 5′- O-(3-thiotriphosphate) or C3 exoenzyme had no effect on VRACs in caveolin-1-expressing Caco-2 cells. We conclude that the Rho pathway exerts a permissive effect on VRACs in CPAE cells, i.e., swelling-induced opening of VRACs requires a functional Rho pathway, but not an activation of the Rho pathway.

TNF-α disruption of lung endothelial integrity: reduced integrin mediated adhesion to fibronectin

Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) causes an increase in transendothelial protein permeability of confluent monolayers of calf pulmonary artery endothelial (CPAE) cells, and the addition of plasma fibronectin (pFn) to the culture medium can attenuate this increase in permeability. We determined if reduced integrin function had a role in decreased endothelial cell adhesion to immobilized Fn after exposure of the endothelial monolayers to TNF-α. TNF-α also causes a reorganization of the subendothelial Fn rich matrix and a significant loss in RGD-dependent adhesion of TNF-α treated CPAE cells to pFn coated surfaces. However, flow cytometry revealed no decrease in α5β1or total β1integrin expression on the surface of the CPAE cells after TNF-α. Reduced CPAE adhesion to immobilized Fn was, in part, due to a loss of β1-integrin function since the β1-integrin blocking antibody mAb 13 significantly ( P < 0.05) prevented the adhesion of normal control CPAE cells but did not further reduce the adhesion of TNF-α-treated cells. In addition, antibodies which activate β1integrins restored ( P < 0.05) adhesion of TNF-α-treated cells to immobilized pFn but did not alter the adhesion of control cells. Despite reduced ability to adhere to immobilized Fn, TNF-α-treated CPAE monolayers demonstrated increased binding and incorporation of fluid-phase pFn into the subendothelial extracellular matrix (ECM) as measured by the analysis of the deoxycholate (DOC) detergent insoluble pool of125I-Fn in the cell layer. In contrast to the RGD-mediated adhesion of CPAE cells to matrix Fn, the increased binding of soluble pFn after TNF-α was not inhibited by RGD peptides or mAb 13. Thus reduced integrin-dependent adhesion of the CPAE cells to matrix Fn as well as disruption of the Fn matrix may contribute to the increased protein permeability of previously confluent endothelial monolayer after TNF-α. In addition, increased ability for the monolayer to incorporate fluid-phase Fn into the ECM after TNF-α via a non-β1- integrin dependent mechanism may be a compensatory response to stabilize the Fn matrix and the endothelial barrier.

Inhibition of VRAC by c-Src tyrosine kinase targeted to caveolae is mediated by the Src homology domains

We used the whole cell patch-clamp technique in calf pulmonary endothelial (CPAE) cells to investigate the effect of wild-type and mutant c-Src tyrosine kinase on I Cl,swell, the swelling-induced Cl−current through volume-regulated anion channels (VRAC). Transient transfection of wild-type c-Src in CPAE cells did not significantly affect I Cl,swell. However, transfection of c-Src with a Ser3Cys mutation that introduces a dual acylation signal and targets c-Src to lipid rafts and caveolae strongly repressed hypotonicity-induced I Cl,swell in CPAE cells. Kinase activity was dispensable for the inhibition of I Cl,swell, since kinase-deficient c-Src Ser3Cys either with an inactivating point mutation in the kinase domain or with the entire kinase domain deleted still suppressed VRAC activity. Again, the Ser3Cys mutation was required to obtain maximal inhibition by the kinase-deleted c-Src. In contrast, the inhibitory effect was completely lost when the Src homology domains 2 and 3 were deleted in c-Src. We therefore conclude that c-Src-mediated inhibition of VRAC requires compartmentalization of c-Src to caveolae and that the Src homology domains 2 and/or 3 are necessary and sufficient for inhibition.