Bovine Pulmonary Microvessel Endothelial Cells Research Articles

Gp60 activation mediates albumin transcytosis in endothelial cells by tyrosine kinase-dependent pathway.

We investigated the function of gp60, an endothelial cell membrane 60-kDa albumin-binding protein localized in caveolae, and the mechanism of its activation in regulating endothelial permeability of albumin. Gp60 organization on the bovine pulmonary microvessel endothelial cell (BPMVEC) surface was punctate as shown by immunofluorescence using an anti-gp60 antibody (Ab) conjugated with bisfunctional, N-hydroxysuccinimidyl fluorophore (Cy3). Addition of a secondary Ab to anti-gp60 Ab-treated BPMVEC induced cross-linking of gp60 as evident by increased size of fluorescent particles and cell surface gp60 clustering. Gp60 cross-linking also produced 2-3-fold increases in the endothelial cell uptake and the luminal to abluminal permeability of 125I-albumin as well as the fluid-phase tracer, horseradish peroxidase. The increased transendothelial permeability of macromolecules was the result of transcytosis as it was not associated with an increase in the paracellular pathway. Incubation of anti-gp60 Ab with BPMVEC at 37 degrees C caused internalization of gp60, and thereby reduced the uptake of the macromolecules. Activation of gp60 by either albumin (the gp60 ligand) or gp60 cross-linking induced the phosphorylation of both gp60 and caveolin-1 (the major structural caveolar protein) on tyrosine residues. Gp60 activation also phosphorylated the Src family tyrosine kinases pp60(c-Src) and Fyn. The activated pp60(c-Src) and Fyn co-immunoprecipitated with caveolin-1 in BPMVEC membrane. Protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) inhibitors, herbimycin A and genistein, prevented gp60-activated macromolecule uptake and transcytosis in a concentration-dependent manner, indicating the functional significance of the PTK pathway in activating albumin transcytosis. These findings indicate that activation of gp60 stimulates the Src PTK signaling pathway, and thus regulates the transcytosis of albumin across the endothelial cell monolayer.

Polymorphonuclear leucocyte (PMN) inhibitory factor prevents PMN-dependent endothelial cell injury by an anti-adhesive mechanism.

Neutrophil inhibitory factor (NIF), a 41-kD glycoprotein isolated from the canine hookworm, inhibits CD11b/CD18-dependent neutrophil adhesion by binding to CD1lb. We studied the effects of NIF on neutrophil-dependent endothelial cell injury using bovine pulmonary microvessel endothelial cells grown on microporous filters. Endothelial injury was determined as an increase in the transendothelial 125I-albumin clearance rate (a measure of transendothelial permeability). Layering of neutrophils on the endothelial cell monolayer (ratio of 10 neutrophils: 1 endothelial cell) followed by activation of neutrophils with 500 nM of phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) increased transendothelial permeability of albumin by 3- to 4-fold over control monolayers. Pretreatment of neutrophils with NIF at concentrations of 100 nM and above prevented the increased permeability. Pretreatment of neutrophils with the anti-CD18 monoclonal antibody (mAb) IB4 similarly prevented the increase of permeability. Pretreatment of neutrophils with OKM-1, a control isotype-matched mAb directed against an irrelevant epitope on CD11b mAb, did not affect the neutrophil-dependent increase in permeability. NIF reduced the adhesion of neutrophils at concentrations of > or = 100 nM and this effect was abolished by an anti-NIF polyclonal Ab. However, NIF did not prevent the generation of superoxide anions following PMA-induced activation of neutrophils layered on endothelial cell. These findings indicate that NIF inhibits the neutrophil-dependent endothelial injury by preventing CD11b/CD18-mediated neutrophil adhesion, but without altering the oxidant generating capacity of neutrophils interacting with the endothelial cell monolayer.

Purification and characterization of a 4-hydroxynonenal metabolizing glutathione S-transferase isozyme from bovine pulmonary microvessel endothelial cells

Previous studies have suggested that a group of structurally and immunologically related mammalian glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) which utilize 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) as the preferred substrate and show glutathione peroxidase activity towards phospholipid hydroperoxides may be important for the defense of cells against lipid peroxidation. In present studies we have purified and characterized GST isozymes of bovine pulmonary microvessel endothelial (BPMVE) cells. The results of these studies indicate that BPMVE cells express relatively high amounts of a GST isozyme which utilizes 4-HNE as the preferred substrate. This GST isozyme purified to homogeneity from BPMVE cells showed remarkably high specific activity towards 4-HNE (48.3 units/mg protein) and had similar immunological, kinetic, and structural characteristics as reported for mouse enzyme mGSTA4-4 and other mammalian GSTs of this group. Since the endothelial cells are exposed to constant oxidative stress, we suggest that this GST isozyme may be important for the defense of these cells against lipid peroxidation.

Involvement of Ca2+ in the H2O2-induced increase in endothelial permeability

We studied the role of Ca2+ in mediating the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced increase in endothelial permeability to 125I-labeled albumin using bovine pulmonary microvessel endothelial cells (BMVEC). Changes in cytosolic-free Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) were monitored in BMVEC monolayers loaded with the Ca(2+)-sensitive membrane permeant fluorescent dye fura 2-AM. H2O2 (100 microM) produced a rise in [Ca2+]i within 10 s that was reduced by the addition of EGTA to the medium. Uptake of 45Ca2+ from the extracellular medium increased in the presence of H2O2 (100 microM) compared with control monolayers, suggesting that the H2O2-induced rise in [Ca2+]i is partly the result of extracellular Ca2+ influx. The effects of [Ca2+]i on endothelial permeability were addressed by pretreatment of BMVEC monolayers with BAPTA-AM (3-5 microM), a membrane permeant Ca2+ chelator, before the H2O2 exposure. BAPTA-AM produced an approximately 50% decrease in the H2O2-induced increase in endothelial permeability compared with endothelial cell monolayers exposed to H2O2 alone. The increase in endothelial permeability was independent of Ca2+ influx, since LaCl3 (0-100 microM), which displaces Ca2+ from binding sites on the cell surface, did not modify the permeability response. These results indicate that the rise in [Ca2+]i produced by H2O2 is a critical determinant of the increase in endothelial permeability.

COCAINE CAUSES INCREASED VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL CELL PERMEABILITY.• 2296

The occurence of pulmonary edema following cocaine usage has been attributed to many factors, including the route of administration, cardiogenic factors related to myocardial ischemia and rapid increase in pulmonary vascular pressure, hypoxia of the alveolar capillary membrane, neurogenic factors, and the effects of cocaine-associated adulterants. Pulmonary vascular endothelial permeability abnormalities have been implicated in an in vivo case. We tested whether changes in pulmonary vascular endothelial permeability related to cocaine exposure occurred independently of other variables that occur in vivo. These studies were performed on confluent monolayers of cultured bovine pulmonary microvessel endothelial cells grown on gelatinized mocroporous filters. We measured the transendothelial flux of Evans blue dye following cocaine hydrochloride(10-5M) treatment as indication of vascular endothelial permeability. Results were analyzed using the Dunnett post-hoc test. We found that the cocaine-treated group had increased endothelial monolayer permeability equal to that of the positive control H2O2 (250 uM) group (clearance rates [1/min] 1.509 +/- 0.106, p= 0.01; 1.397 +/- 0.192, p= 0.01, respectively). These in vitro studies demonstrate the direct toxicity of cocaine on vascular endothelial monolayers. This toxic effect is independent of other physiologic perturbations occurring in response to cocaine exposure.

Isolation and characterization of a cell surface albumin-binding protein from vascular endothelial cells.

Albumin-binding proteins identified in vascular endothelial cells have been postulated to contribute to the transport of albumin via a process involving transcytosis. In the present study, we have purified and characterized a 57- to 60-kDa (gp60) putative albumin-binding protein from bovine pulmonary microvessel endothelial cells. The endothelial cell membranes were isolated from cultured cells by differential centrifugation and solubilized with sodium cholate and urea. The solubilized extract was concentrated after dialysis by ethanol precipitation and reextracted with Triton X-100, and the resulting extract was subjected to DEAE-cellulose column chromatography. Proteins eluted from this column were further separated using preparative sodium dodecyl sulfate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and used for immunizing rabbits. Fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis using the anti-gp60 antibodies demonstrated the expression of gp60 on the endothelial cell surface. Affinity-purified anti-gp60 antibodies inhibited approximately 90% of the specific binding of 125I-labeled albumin to bovine pulmonary microvessel endothelial cell surface. The anti-gp60 antibodies reacted with gp60 from bovine pulmonary artery, bovine pulmonary microvessel, human umbilical vein, and rat lung endothelial cell membranes. Bovine anti-gp60 antibodies also reacted with bovine secreted protein, acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC). However, bovine SPARC NH2-terminal sequence (1-56 residues) antibodies did not react with gp60, indicating that the endothelial cell-surface-associated albumin-binding protein gp60 was different from the secreted albumin-binding protein SPARC. We conclude that the endothelial cell-surface-associated gp60 mediates the specific binding of native albumin to endothelial cells and thus may regulate the uptake of albumin and its transcytosis.

Mediation of endothelial injury following neutrophil adherence to extracellular matrix

Since polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) rapidly migrate across the endothelial barrier and attach to extracellular matrix components, we tested the hypothesis that adhesion of PMN to matrix proteins can mediate endothelial injury following PMN activation. Studies were made using gelatin- and fibronectin-coated polycarbonate microporous filters (10 microns thick) on which confluent monolayers of bovine pulmonary microvessel endothelial cells were grown. PMN were layered either directly onto endothelial cells (at a ratio of 10:1) ("upright system") or onto gelatin- and fibronectin-coated filters with the endothelial monolayer grown on the underside of the filter without contact between PMN and endothelial cells ("inverted system"). PMN were activated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA; 5 x 10(-9) M) in both systems. PMN activation increased endothelial permeability to 125I-labeled albumin in upright as well as inverted systems. Pretreatment of PMN with anti-CD18 monoclonal antibodies IB4 or R15.7, which inhibited PMN adherence to matrix constituents as well as to endothelial cells, prevented the permeability increase in both configurations. This effect of anti-CD18 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) was not ascribed to a reduction in PMN activation, since PMA-induced superoxide generation was unaffected. We conclude that activation of PMN adherent to extracellular matrix proteins increases endothelial permeability to albumin and that this response is dependent on PMN adhesion to the matrix. The results support the concept that PMN-mediated increase in endothelial permeability is the result of "targeted" release of PMN products independent of whether the PMN are adherent to the extracellular matrix or the endothelium.

Adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate attenuates neutrophil-mediated increase in endothelial permeability

We studied the effects of 8-bromoadenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (8-BrcAMP) and cholera toxin (CT) on 125I-labeled albumin flux across confluent monolayers of bovine pulmonary microvessel endothelial cells (BMVEC) grown on polycarbonate filters (10(5) BMVEC/filter). 8-BrcAMP and CT increased endothelial adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) concentrations about twofold. Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) were layered on BMVEC monolayers (ratio of 10:1) and activated with phorbol 12-myristate 13 acetate (PMA; 5 x 10(-9) M). Transendothelial 125I-labeled albumin clearance rate was measured to determine the endothelial permeability alterations. Activation of PMN in control monolayers resulted in an increase in transendothelial 125I-labeled albumin clearance rate from 0.090 +/- 0.011 to 0.37 +/- 0.06 microliters/min (P < 0.01). Treatment of endothelial monolayers with 8-BrcAMP (10(-3) M) significantly attenuated the increase in endothelial permeability after PMN activation (transendothelial 125I-labeled albumin clearance rate increased to 0.19 +/- 0.03 microliters/min; P < 0.01). Pretreatment of BMVEC monolayers with CT (10(-8) M) for 3 h before PMN activation prevented the PMN-mediated increase in endothelial permeability (125I-labeled albumin clearance rate only increased to 0.13 +/- 0.018 microliters/min). To simulate the effect of PMN activation, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was added directly onto BMVEC; both 8-BrcAMP and CT were shown to reduce the H2O2-mediated increase in endothelial permeability. 8-BrcAMP and CT pretreatment did not prevent PMN adhesion to BMVEC monolayer and superoxide anion and H2O2 production after PMA activation of PMN. We conclude that increased endothelial cAMP concentration prevents PMN-mediated endothelial injury by an action of the cyclic nucleotide on endothelial cells.

Thrombin receptor 14-amino acid peptide binds to endothelial cells and stimulates calcium transients.

We examined the binding characteristics of the recently described thrombin receptor amino-terminal peptide, SFLLRNPNDKYEPF (T. K. H. Vu, D. T. Hung, V. I. Wheaton, and S. R. Coughlin. Cell 64: 1057-1068, 1991), termed TRP-14, and its effect in activating intracellular calcium transients in pulmonary vascular endothelial cells. Binding of 125I-labeled TRP-14 was found to be saturable with a affinity constant of 2 microM and maximum binding of 41 pmol/mg of cell protein. The 125I-labeled TRP-14 also interacted with bovine pulmonary microvessel endothelial cells, human umbilical vein endothelial cells, and porcine pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells. Binding of 125I-labeled diisopropylphosphoryl (DIP)-alpha-thrombin, which is catalytically inactive but binds to thrombin receptors, was not inhibited by TRP-14 or vice versa, indicating that TRP-14 did not compete for the alpha-thrombin binding site(s) on the endothelial cell surface. TRP-14 (> 1 microM) increased the concentration of intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i) in endothelial cells with kinetics similar to the increase in [Ca2+]i triggered by alpha-thrombin. In contrast, DIP-alpha-thrombin did not increase [Ca2+]i and also did not prevent the rise in [Ca2+]i induced by the subsequent challenge with either TRP-14 or alpha-thrombin. Because the generation of TRP-14 by the proteolytically active forms of thrombin stimulated a rise in endothelial [Ca2+]i, TRP-14 may be the agonist responsible for the activation of the alpha-thrombin receptor in pulmonary vascular endothelial cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Electrical method for detection of endothelial cell shape change in real time: assessment of endothelial barrier function.

We have developed an electrical method to study endothelial cell shape changes in real time in order to examine the mechanisms of alterations in the endothelial barrier function. Endothelial shape changes were quantified by using a monolayer of endothelial cells grown on a small (10(-3) cm2) evaporated gold electrode and measuring the changes in electrical impedance. Bovine pulmonary microvessel endothelial cells and bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells were used to study the effects of alpha-thrombin on cell-shape dynamics by the impedance measurement. alpha-Thrombin produced a dose-dependent decrease in impedance that occurred within 0.5 min in both cell types, indicative of retraction of endothelial cells and widening of interendothelial junctions because of "rounding up" of the cells. The alpha-thrombin-induced decrease in impedance persisted for approximately 2 hr, after which the value recovered to basal levels. Pretreatment of endothelial cells with the protein kinase C inhibitor, calphostin C, or with 8-bromoadenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate prevented the decreased impedance, suggesting that the endothelial cell change is modulated by activation of second-messenger pathways. The alpha-thrombin-induced decrease in impedance was in agreement with the previously observed increases in transendothelial albumin permeability and evidence of formation of intercellular gaps after alpha-thrombin challenge. The impedance measurement may be a valuable in vitro method for the assessment of mechanisms of decreased endothelial barrier function occurring with inflammatory mediators. Since the rapidly occurring changes in endothelial cell shape in response to mediators such as thrombin are mediated activation of second-messenger pathways, the ability to monitor endothelial cell dynamics in real time may provide insights into the signal-transduction events mediating the increased endothelial permeability.

Inflammatory agonists that increase microvascular permeability in vivo stimulate cultured pulmonary microvessel endothelial cell contraction

Bovine pulmonary microvessel endothelial cells grown on a flexible substrate contract upon the addition of angiotensin II, thrombin, bradykinin, and U44069, a stable analogue of thromboxane A2. All these agents promote inflammation and increase paracellular permeability in vivo or in vitro. The contractile response is mediated by intracellular and extracellular free calcium: the response is inhibited by TMB-8, an intracellular Ca2+ chelator, and EGTA. Contraction is inhibited by trifluoroperazine, a Ca2(+)-calmodulin antagonist, and by ML-7, an inhibitor of myosin light-chain kinase. Preincubation with PMA, a protein kinase C activator, prevents contraction by angiotensin II. The inactive analogue 4-alpha-phorbol 12,13-didecanoate does not inhibit contraction. In contrast cAMP, carbacyclin (a stable PGI2 analogue), and isoproterenol, agonists known to stabilize the microvascular barrier against inflammatory agents, relax pulmonary microvessel EC. This direct evidence of the contractile potential of microvessel endothelial cells lends support to the theory that endothelial contraction leads to increased junctional permeability.

Prostacyclin and prostaglandin E2 secretions by bovine pulmonary microvessel endothelial cells are altered by changes in culture conditions.

The isolation and culture of pulmonary microvascular endothelial (MVE) cells from bovine lungs were established. Primary and early passaged cultures grew best in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium (DMEM) supplemented with 10% equine plasma-derived serum, bovine retinal growth extract (1%), and heparin (90 micrograms/ml) on gelatin coated plates. A second tissue culture procedure was prepared in which the isolation technique was the same except the culture medium consisted of DMEM supplemented with 10% plasma-derived serum. Either growth medium produced homogeneous, long term, serial cultures for up to 16 passages. MVE cells were characterized in part based on their morphology by light and electron microscopy and positive reaction to Factor VIII-related antigen and uptake of 1,1'-dioctacecyl-1,3,3,3'3-tetramethyl-indocarbocyanine perchlorate acetylated low density lipoprotein (Dil-Ac-LDL). MVE cells were also positive for angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity and the presence of ACE was localized on the cells by indirect immunofluorescence. MVE cells maintained in the presence of heparin and growth factor principally synthesized prostaglandin (PG) E2 (1512 +/- 159 pg/mg protein at 15 min) and smaller amounts of prostacyclin (PGI2) and thromboxane (Tx) A2 (316 +/- 43 and 588 +/- 105 pg/mg protein/15 min respectively) as measured by radioimmunoassay. However, prostanoid release was not elevated from basal levels upon incubation with arachidonic acid, bradykinin, or ionophore A23187. In contrast, MVE cells cultured without heparin and growth factor secreted more PGI2 than PGE2 (862 +/- 84 and 89 +/- 12 respectively). Incubation with arachidonic acid, bradykinin, or ionophore A23187 induced significant increases in PGI2 and PGE2 production (P less than 0.01). Pulmonary artery endothelial (PAE) cell cultures used as a control for comparison predominantly synthesized PGI2. These findings suggest that in vitro the vessel source and culture conditions may qualitatively and quantitatively affect the pattern and levels of prostanoid synthesized and secreted.