MAB1957 Sigma-AldrichAnti-Integrin β3 Antibody, clone 25E11

Apoptosis of vascular cells, including pericytes and endothelial cells, contributes to disease pathogenesis in which vascular rarefaction plays a central role. Bim is a proapoptotic protein that modulates not only apoptosis but also cellular functions such as migration and extracellular matrix (ECM) protein expression. Endothelial cells and pericytes each make a unique contribution to vascular formation and function although the details require further delineation. Here we set out to determine the cell autonomous impact of Bim expression on retinal endothelial cell and pericyte function using cells prepared from Bim deficient (Bim(-/-)) mice. Bim(-/-) endothelial cells displayed an increased production of ECM proteins, proliferation, migration, adhesion, and VEGF expression but, a decreased eNOS expression and nitric oxide production. In contrast, pericyte proliferation decreased in the absence of Bim while migration, adhesion, and VEGF expression were increased. In addition, we demonstrated that the coculturing of either wild-type or Bim(-/-) endothelial cells with Bim(-/-) pericytes diminished their capillary morphogenesis. Thus, our data further emphasizes the importance of vascular cell autonomous regulatory mechanisms in modulation of vascular function.

Mutation in CYP1B1 has been reported for patients with congenital glaucoma. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Here we show increased diurnal intraocular pressure (IOP) in Cyp1b1-deficient (Cyp1b1(-/-)) mice. Cyp1b1(-/-) mice presented ultrastructural irregular collagen distribution in their trabecular meshwork (TM) tissue along with increased oxidative stress and decreased levels of periostin (Postn). Increased levels of oxidative stress and decreased levels of Postn were also detected in human glaucomatous TM tissues. Furthermore, Postn-deficient mice exhibited TM tissue ultrastructural abnormalities similar to those of Cyp1b1(-/-) mice. Administration of the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) restored structural abnormality of TM tissue in Cyp1b1(-/-) mice. In addition, TM cells prepared from Cyp1b1(-/-) mice exhibited increased oxidative stress, altered adhesion, and decreased levels of Postn. These aberrant cellular responses were reversed in the presence of NAC or by restoration of Cyp1b1 expression. Cyp1b1 knockdown or inhibition of CYP1B1 activity in Cyp1b1(+/+) TM cells resulted in a Cyp1b1(-/-) phenotype. Thus, metabolic activity of CYP1B1 contributes to oxidative homeostasis and ultrastructural organization and function of TM tissue through modulation of Postn expression.

Diabetic nephropathy is the most common cause of end-stage renal disease and is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. In the United States, microvascular complications during diabetic nephropathy contribute to high morbidity and mortality rates. However, the cell-autonomous impact of diabetes on kidney endothelial cell function requires further investigation. Male Akita/+ [autosomal dominant mutation in the insulin II gene (Ins2)] mice reproducibly develop diabetes by 4 wk of age. Here, we examined the impact a short duration of diabetes had on kidney endothelial cell function. Kidney endothelial cells were prepared from nondiabetic and diabetic mice (4 wk of diabetes) to delineate the early changes in endothelial cell function. Kidney endothelial cells from Akita/+ mice following 4 wk of diabetes demonstrated aberrant expression of extracellular matrix proteins including decreased osteopontin and increased fibronectin expression which correlated with increased α5-integrin expression. These changes were associated with the attenuation of migration and capillary morphogenesis. Kidney endothelial cells from Akita/+ mice had decreased VEGF levels but increased levels of endothelial nitric oxide synthase(eNOS) and NO, suggesting uncoupling of VEGF-mediated NO production. Knocking down eNOS expression in Akita/+ kidney endothelial cells increased VEGF expression, endothelial cell migration, and capillary morphogenesis. Furthermore, attenuation of sprouting angiogenesis of aortas from Akita/+ mice with 8 wk of diabetes was restored in the presence of the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine. These studies demonstrate that aberrant endothelial cell function with a short duration of diabetes may set the stage for vascular dysfunction and rarefaction at later stages of diabetes.

The extracellular matrix (ECM) acts as a scaffold for kidney cellular organization. Local secretion of the ECM allows kidney cells to readily adapt to changes occurring within the kidney. In addition to providing structural support for cells, the ECM also modulates cell survival, migration, proliferation, and differentiation. Although aberrant regulation of ECM proteins can play a causative role in many diseases, it is not known whether ECM production, cell adhesion, and migration are regulated in a similar manner in kidney epithelial and endothelial cells. Here, we demonstrate that lack of BIM expression differentially impacts kidney endothelial and epithelial cell ECM production, migration, and adhesion, further emphasizing the specialized role of these cell types in kidney function. Bim -/- kidney epithelial cells demonstrated decreased migration, increased adhesion, and sustained expression of osteopontin and thrombospondin-1 (TSP1). In contrast, bim -/- kidney endothelial cells demonstrated increased cell migration, and decreased expression of osteopontin and TSP1. We also observed a fivefold increase in VEGF expression in bim -/- kidney endothelial cells consistent with their increased migration and capillary morphogenesis. These cells also had decreased endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity and nitric oxide bioavailability. Thus kidney endothelial and epithelial cells make unique contributions to the regulation of their ECM composition, with specific impact on adhesive and migratory properties that are essential for their proper function.

Paramyxoviruses use a specialized fusion protein to merge the viral envelope with cell membranes and initiate infection. Most paramyxoviruses require the interaction of two viral proteins to enter cells; an attachment protein binds cell surface receptors, leading to the activation of a fusion (F) protein that fuses the viral envelope and host cell plasma membrane. In contrast, human metapneumovirus (HMPV) expressing only the F protein is replication competent, suggesting a primary role for HMPV F in attachment and fusion. We previously identified an invariant arginine-glycine-aspartate (RGD) motif in the HMPV F protein and showed that the RGD-binding integrin αVβ1-promoted HMPV infection. Here we show that both HMPV F-mediated binding and virus entry depend upon multiple RGD-binding integrins and that HMPV F can mediate binding and fusion in the absence of the viral attachment (G) protein. The invariant F-RGD motif is critical for infection, as an F-RAE virus was profoundly impaired. Further, F-integrin binding is required for productive viral RNA transcription, indicating that RGD-binding integrins serve as receptors for the HMPV fusion protein. Thus, HMPV F is triggered to induce virus-cell fusion by interactions with cellular receptors in a manner that is independent of the viral G protein. These results suggest a stepwise mechanism of HMPV entry mediated by the F protein through its interactions with cellular receptors, including RGD-binding integrins.

Integration of cell adhesive, survival, and proliferative processes is essential for capillary morphogenesis of endothelial cells (EC) in vitro and vascular development and function in vivo. Unfortunately, the molecular and cellular mechanisms that impact these processes are poorly defined. Here we examined how lack of bim and/or bcl-2 expression impact lung EC function. The absence of bcl-2 or bim had a significant impact on EC adhesion and migration. Lack of bcl-2 expression decreased lung EC migration, whereas lack of bim expression increased migration compared with their wild-type counterparts. Decreased adhesion to fibronectin and vitronectin was observed in both bcl-2-/- and bim-/- lung EC, with bcl-2-/- EC having very little adhesion to either matrix protein. Capillary morphogenesis was greatly diminished in bcl-2-/- EC, which correlated with decreased lung alveolarization in vivo, an angiogenesis-dependent process. We also observed aberrant production of extracellular matrix proteins, eNOS expression, and nitric oxide production in bcl-2-/- lung EC, which could contribute to inability to undergo capillary morphogenesis. The changes in cell adhesion and migration noted in the absence of bim or bcl-2 were independent of their impact on apoptosis. We observed no significant affect on the steady-state rate of apoptosis of lung EC in the absence of bim or bcl-2. Thus, bcl-2 family members, bim and bcl-2, play a central role in modulation of EC proangiogenic properties, which goes beyond their role as simple mediators of mitochondrial homeostasis and apoptosis.

BACKGROUND: Galectin-3 (gal-3) is a beta-galactoside-binding protein which can be detected in endometrium. The study was designed to investigate synergism of gal-3 and integrinbeta3 in endometrial cell proliferation and adhesion in an in vitro model of endometrial receptivity. METHODS: The RL95-2 cell line was employed as an in vitro model for receptive endometrium. Cells transfected with gal-3 siRNA or treated with exogenous gal-3 were incubated with or without function-blocking integrinbeta1/3 antibody for evaluating synergism of gal-3 and integrins on cell proliferation and adhesion. Proliferation was measured by BrdU incorporation, and adhesion to fibronectin (FN) was determined by an adhesion assay. Integrin expression was analyzed by Flow Cytometry and western blots. Bewo spheroids were co-cultured with the RL95-2 monolayer to mimic the blastocyst-endometrial interaction, and colocalization of gal-3, integrinbeta3 and FN at the interface was observed by confocal microscopy. RESULTS: The knock-down of gal-3 inhibited RL95-2 cell proliferation and adhesion. However, a reduction of proliferation and adhesion was also observed in presence of exogenous gal-3, and this was further reduced by a functional block to integrinbeta3. Moreover, gal-3 knock-down significantly increased integrinbeta3 expression, however, the colocalization of integrinbeta3 and FN was not increased. As expected, the colocalization of integrinbeta3 was decreased with the knock-down of gal-3. CONCLUSIONS: This study has provided an in vitro model for the complex interactions between gal-3 and integrinbeta3 in the regulation of endometrial cell proliferation and adhesion.

Matrix metalloproteases (MMPs) play important roles in normal and pathological remodeling processes including atherothrombotic disease, inflammation, angiogenesis, and cancer. MMPs have been viewed as matrix-degrading enzymes, but recent studies have shown that they possess direct signaling capabilities. Platelets harbor several MMPs that modulate hemostatic function and platelet survival; however their mode of action remains unknown. We show that platelet MMP-1 activates protease-activated receptor-1 (PAR1) on the surface of platelets. Exposure of platelets to fibrillar collagen converts the surface-bound proMMP-1 zymogen to active MMP-1, which promotes aggregation through PAR1. Unexpectedly, MMP-1 cleaves PAR1 at a distinct site that strongly activates Rho-GTP pathways, cell shape change and motility, and MAPK signaling. Blockade of MMP1-PAR1 curtails thrombogenesis under arterial flow conditions and inhibits thrombosis in animals. These studies provide a link between matrix-dependent activation of metalloproteases and platelet-G protein signaling and identify MMP1-PAR1 as a potential target for the prevention of arterial thrombosis.

Syndecans function as receptors for extracellular matrix (ECM) with integrins in cell spreading. However, the molecular mechanism of their specific involvement in cell migration or in wound healing has not been elucidated yet. Here, we report that a synthetic peptide, PEP75, which contains the syndecan-binding sequence of the laminin alpha 3LG4 module, induces keratinocyte migration in in vitro and in vivo. Soluble PEP75 induced the clustering of syndecan-4 and conformation-modified integrin beta1 colocalized with syndecan-4 in soluble PEP75-induced clusters. Treatment of cells in solution with PEP75 resulted in the exposure of the P4G11 antibody epitope of integrin beta1 in immunostaining as well as in flow cytometry and augmented integrin beta1-dependent cell adhesion to ECM. Pulldown assays demonstrated that PEP75 bound to syndecan-4, but not to integrin beta1. A siRNA study revealed a role for syndecan-4 in PEP75-induced up-regulation of P4G11 antibody binding and migration of HaCaT cells. We conclude that binding of soluble PEP75 to syndecan-4 induces the coupling of integrin beta1, which is associated with integrin beta1-conformational changes and activation, and leads to keratinocyte migration. To activate integrin function through syndecans could be a novel therapeutic approach for chronic wound.