Caveolae In Endothelial Cells Research Articles

Opposing effects of reactive oxygen species and cholesterol on endothelial nitric oxide synthase and endothelial cell caveolae.

Synthesis of nitric oxide (NO) by endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) is critical for normal vascular homeostasis. eNOS function is rapidly regulated by agonists and blood flow and chronically by factors that regulate mRNA stability and gene transcription. Recently, localization of eNOS to specialized plasma membrane invaginations termed caveolae has been proposed to be required for maximal eNOS activity. Because caveolae are highly enriched in cholesterol, and hypercholesterolemia is associated with increased NO production, we first studied the effects of cholesterol loading on eNOS localization and NO production in cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs). Caveolae-enriched fractions were prepared by OptiPrep gradient density centrifugation. Treatment of BAECs with 30 microgram/mL cholesterol for 24 hours stimulated significant increases in total eNOS protein expression (1.50-fold), eNOS associated with caveolae-enriched membranes (2.23-fold), and calcium ionophore-stimulated NO production (1.56-fold). Because reactive oxygen species (ROS) contribute to endothelial dysfunction in hypercholesterolemia, we next studied the effects of ROS on eNOS localization and caveolae number. Treatment of BAECs for 24 hours with 1 micromol/L LY83583, a superoxide-generating napthoquinolinedione, decreased caveolae number measured by electron microscopy and prevented the cholesterol-mediated increases in eNOS expression. In vitro exposure of caveolae-enriched membranes to ROS (xanthine plus xanthine oxidase) dissociated caveolin more readily than eNOS from the membranes. These results show that cholesterol treatment increases eNOS expression, whereas ROS treatment decreases eNOS expression and the association of eNOS with caveolin in caveolae-enriched membranes. Our data suggest that oxidative stress modulates endothelial function by regulating caveolae formation, eNOS expression, and eNOS-caveolin interactions.

Dissecting the Interaction between Nitric Oxide Synthase (NOS) and Caveolin: FUNCTIONAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE NOS CAVEOLIN BINDING DOMAININ VIVO

Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) is a dually acylated peripheral membrane protein that targets to the Golgi region and caveolae of endothelial cells. Recent evidence has shown that eNOS can co-precipitate with caveolin-1, the resident coat protein of caveolae, suggesting a direct interaction between these two proteins. To test this idea, we examined the interactions of eNOS with caveolin-1 in vitro and in vivo. Incubation of endothelial cell lysates or purified eNOS with glutathione S-transferase (GST)-caveolin-1 resulted in the direct interaction of the two proteins. Utilizing a series of GST-caveolin-1 deletion mutants, we identified two cytoplasmic domains of caveolin-1 that interact with eNOS, the scaffolding domain (amino acids 61-101) and to a lesser extent the C-terminal tail (amino acids 135-178). Incubation of pure eNOS with peptides derived from the scaffolding domains of caveolin-1 and -3, but not the analogous regions from caveolin-2, resulted in inhibition of eNOS, inducible NOS (iNOS), and neuronal NOS (nNOS) activities. These results suggest a common mechanism and site of inhibition. Utilizing GST-eNOS fusions, the site of caveolin binding was localized between amino acids 310 and 570. Site-directed mutagenesis of the predicted caveolin binding motif within eNOS blocked the ability of caveolin-1 to suppress NO release in co-transfection experiments. Thus, our data demonstrate a novel functional role for caveolin-1 in mammalian cells as a potential molecular chaperone that directly inactivates NOS. This suggests that the direct binding of eNOS to caveolin-1, per se, and the functional consequences of eNOS targeting to caveolae are likely temporally and spatially distinct events that regulate NO production in endothelial cells. Additionally, the inactivation of eNOS and nNOS by the scaffolding domain of caveolin-3 suggests that eNOS in cardiac myocytes and nNOS in skeletal muscle are likely subject to negative regulation by this muscle-specific caveolin isoform.

The first 35 amino acids and fatty acylation sites determine the molecular targeting of endothelial nitric oxide synthase into the Golgi region of cells: a green fluorescent protein study.

Catalytically active endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) is located on the Golgi complex and in the caveolae of endothelial cells (EC). Mislocalization of eNOS caused by mutation of the N-myristoylation or cysteine palmitoylation sites impairs production of stimulated nitric oxide (NO), suggesting that intracellular targeting is critical for optimal NO production. To investigate the molecular determinants of eNOS targeting in EC, we constructed eNOS-green fluorescent protein (GFP) chimeras to study its localization in living and fixed cells. The full-length eNOS-GFP fusion colocalized with a Golgi marker, mannosidase II, and retained catalytic activity compared to wild-type (WT) eNOS, suggesting that the GFP tag does not interfere with eNOS localization or function. Experiments with different size amino-terminal fusion partners coupled to GFP demonstrated that the first 35 amino acids of eNOS are sufficient to target GFP into the Golgi region of NIH 3T3 cells. Additionally, the unique (Gly-Leu)5 repeat located between the palmitoylation sites (Cys-15 and -26) of eNOS is necessary for its palmitoylation and thus localization, but not for N-myristoylation, membrane association, and NOS activity. The palmitoylation-deficient mutants displayed a more diffuse fluorescence pattern than did WT eNOS-GFP, but still were associated with intracellular membranes. Biochemical studies also showed that the palmitoylation-deficient mutants are associated with membranes as tightly as WT eNOS. Mutation of the N-myristoylation site Gly-2 (abolishing both N-myristoylation and palmitoylation) caused the GFP fusion protein to distribute throughout the cell as GFP alone, consistent with its primarily cytosolic nature in biochemical studies. Therefore, eNOS targets into the Golgi region of NIH 3T3 cells via the first 35 amino acids, including N-myristoylation and palmitoylation sites, and its overall membrane association requires N-myristoylation but not cysteine palmitoylation. These results suggest a novel role for fatty acylation in the specific compartmentalization of eNOS and most likely, for other dually acylated proteins, to the Golgi complex.

Detection of Duffy Antigen in the Plasma Membranes and Caveolae of Vascular Endothelial and Epithelial Cells of Nonerythroid Organs

AbstractThe nonerythroid expression of the Duffy blood group protein (gp-Fy) was confined to certain cell types. Immunocytochemistry studies of the kidney showed gp-Fy in the endothelium of glomeruli, peritubular capillaries, vasa recta, and the principal cells (epithelial) of collecting ducts. Gp-Fy was also produced in the endothelial cells of large venules and epithelial cells (type-I) of pulmonary alveoli. In the thyroid, only the endothelial cells of capillaries produced gp-Fy. In the spleen, the endothelial cells of capillaries, high endothelial venule, and sinusoids produced abundant gp-Fy. Ultrastructural studies showed that apical and basolateral plasma membrane domains, including caveolae, had gp-Fy. Immunoblot analysis showed substantially less gp-Fy in nonerythroid cells than in erythrocytes. Moreover, the analyzed nonerythroid organs of Duffy-negative individuals did not produce more gp-Fy to compensate for the lack of this protein in their erythrocytes. The nucleotide sequence and the size of kidney mRNA from a Duffy-positive individual were the same as that of bone marrow. It is assumed, therefore, that nonerythroid Duffy protein is the product of the same gene as that of bone marrow. This notion is reinforced by the fact that nonerythroid and erythroid gp-Fy have the same antigenic domains.

Microwave Fixation and Localization of Calcium in Synaptic Terminals and Muscular Cells by Electron Probe X-Ray Microanalysis and Electron Energy-Loss Spectroscopy Imaging.

The distribution of calcium ions in the rat brain synaptic terminals, in their synaptic vesicles, membranes and mitochondria; and in the sarcoplasmic reticula, mitochondria and their endosacs of skeletal or cardiac muscle cells, and in the caveolae of endothelial cells of blood capillaries was investigated with a two-step inorganic chemical precipitation method using potassium oxalate followed by potassium antimonate.During the process, calcium ions were precipitated with potassium oxalate containing aldehyde fixative as an insoluble precipitate of calcium oxalate under simultaneous computerized microwave irradiation fixation. Then the precipitates were chemically changed to calcium antimonate during the postfixation procedure with an osmium tetroxide fixative containing potassium antimonate. The chemical natures and elemental binding ratios of this precipitate of calcium and antimony in the tube test and in sections were investigated by computerized electron probe X-ray microanalysis using an energy dispersive type X-ray detector (EDX) and electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) imaging. The EDX analyzed chemical nature and calculated values of precipitates, in both atomic binding ratios (AT, %) and molecular weight ratios (WT, %), were exactly the same as those of the theoretical calculated values based upon the chemical formula of calcium antimonate. The data indicated that calcium ions exsisted in the site of precipitate.Electron energy-loss spectroscopy imaging showed the distribution of digital net calcium images at electron microscopic resolution. Calcium exsisted in the nerve terminals, synaptic vesicles, mitochondria and synaptic membranes; in the skeletal and cardiac muscular endosacs of sarcoplasmic reticula, mitochondria, and in the endocytotic vesicles of cardiac sarcoplasmic membranes, or in the caveolae of blood vessel capillary endothelial cells.High magnification O-loss images and EELS spectra confirmed differences in the fine precipitates in a section, as most of the precipitates were Ca-antimonate showing a clot of fine needle-like crystals, but in some cases we found antimonic acid showing an electron opaque foamy spot, or just contamination with an irregularly shaped homogeneous opacity. They were found mixed together, and it was not easy to differentiate them under EDX analysis.Summarized data were reported in the 10th International Congress on Histochemistry and Cytochemistry, Kyoto, Japan, 1996 [24] and XXlth International Congress & International Academy of Pathology, and 12th World Congress on Academy of Enviromental Pathology, Budapest, Hungary, 1996 [26].

Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase Targeting to Caveolae: SPECIFIC INTERACTIONS WITH CAVEOLIN ISOFORMS IN CARDIAC MYOCYTES AND ENDOTHELIAL CELLS

The endothelial isoform of nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) modulates cardiac myocyte function and is expressed in the particulate subcellular fraction. We have previously shown that eNOS is targeted to plasmalemmal caveolae in endothelial cells. Caveolae, specialized domains of the plasma membrane, may serve to sequester signaling proteins; a family of transmembrane proteins, the caveolins, form a key structural component of these microdomains. Caveolae in cardiac tissues contain the muscle-specific isoform caveolin-3, and caveolae in endothelial cells contain the widely expressed isoform caveolin-1, which shares limited sequence identity with caveolin-3. Our immunohistochemical analyses of rat cardiac muscle used isoform-specific caveolin antibodies to reveal prominent caveolin-3 staining in myocyte sarcolemmal membranes and at intercalated discs, whereas caveolin-1 staining was prominent in the vascular endothelium. Caveolin or eNOS antibodies were utilized to immunoprecipitate cardiac myocyte or cultured aortic endothelial cell lysates, which then were analyzed in immunoblots. In endothelial cells, we found that eNOS is quantitatively immunoprecipitated by antibodies to caveolin-1. In cardiac myocyte lysates, nearly all the eNOS is immunoprecipitated instead by antibodies to caveolin-3 and, conversely, eNOS antiserum immunoprecipitated primarily caveolin-3. These studies establish expression of eNOS in cardiac myocyte caveolae and document tissue-specific and quantitative associations of eNOS with caveolin. These findings may have important implications for the regulation of eNOS by caveolin isoforms and by other signaling proteins targeted to caveolae.

Nature of caveolae in the endothelial cells of toad urinary bladders

Intact toad urinary hemibladder sacs have been in use for many years as a membrane model for experimental studies of transepithelial aqueous transfer under osmotic gradient. The toad bladder tissue is composed of several cell types. Recently, we reported the presence of a large concentration of caveolae in the granular epithelial cells of toad urinary bladders. Caveolae are microstructures which arise by invagination of the plasma membrane on the cytoplasmic side of the cell. Currently, we report the presence of caveolae in endothelial cells of toad urinary bladder.Urinary hemibladder sacs were excised from doubly-pithed toads, Bufo marinus, fixed using 1% glutaraldehyde in PIPES, postfixed in 1% osmium tetroxide, dehydrated and embedded in epon blocks. Ultrathin sections were exposed to uranyl acetate and lead citrate for transmission electron microscopy. In some cases, the bladder sacs were tied up at the ends of glass tubes and equilibrated in aerated Ringer's solution for 30 min prior to experimental procedures.

Targeting of nitric oxide synthase to endothelial cell caveolae via palmitoylation: implications for nitric oxide signaling.

The membrane association of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) plays an important role in the biosynthesis of nitric oxide (NO) in vascular endothelium. Previously, we have shown that in cultured endothelial cells and in intact blood vessels, eNOS is found primarily in the perinuclear region of the cells and in discrete regions of the plasma membrane, suggesting trafficking of the protein from the Golgi to specialized plasma membrane structures. Here, we show that eNOS is found in Triton X-100-insoluble membranes prepared from cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells and colocalizes with caveolin, a coat protein of caveolae, in cultured bovine lung microvascular endothelial cells as determined by confocal microscopy. To examine if eNOS is indeed in caveolae, we purified luminal endothelial cell plasma membranes and their caveolae directly from intact, perfused rat lungs. eNOS is found in the luminal plasma membranes and is markedly enriched in the purified caveolae. Because palmitoylation of eNOS does not significantly influence its membrane association, we next examined whether this modification can affect eNOS targeting to caveolae. Wild-type eNOS, but not the palmitoylation mutant form of the enzyme, colocalizes with caveolin on the cell surface in transfected NIH 3T3 cells, demonstrating that palmitoylation of eNOS is necessary for its targeting into caveolae. These data suggest that the subcellular targeting of eNOS to caveolae can restrict NO signaling to specific targets within a limited microenvironment at the cell surface and may influence signal transduction through caveolae.

Calcium pump of the plasma membrane is localized in caveolae.

The Ca2+ pump in the plasma membrane plays a key role in the fine control of the cytoplasmic free Ca2+ concentration. In the present study, its subcellular localization was examined with immunocytochemical techniques using a specific antibody generated against the erythrocyte membrane Ca2+ pump ATPase. By immunofluorescence microscopy of cultured cells, the labeling with the antibody was seen as numerous small dots, often distributed in linear arrays or along cell edges. Immunogold EM of cryosections revealed that the dots correspond to caveolae, or smooth invaginations of the plasma membrane. The same technique applied to mouse tissues in vivo showed that the Ca2+ pump is similarly localized in caveolae of endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, cardiac muscle cells, epidermal keratinocytes and mesothelial cells. By quantitative analysis of the immunogold labeling, the Ca2+ pump in capillary endothelial cells and visceral smooth muscle cells was found to be concentrated 18-25-fold in the caveolar membrane compared with the noncaveolar portion of the plasma membrane. In renal tubular and small intestinal epithelial cells, which have been known to contain the Ca2+ pump but do not have many caveolae, most of the labeling was randomly distributed in the basolateral plasma membrane, although caveolae were also positively labeled. The results demonstrate that the caveolae in various cells has the plasmalemmal Ca2+ pump as a common constituent. In conjunction with our recent finding that an inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor-like protein exists in the caveolae (Fujimoto, T., S. Nakade, A. Miyawaki, K. Mikoshiba, and K. Ogawa. 1992. J. Cell Biol. 119:1507-1513), it is inferred that the smooth plasmalemmal invagination is an apparatus specialized for Ca2+ intake and extrusion from the cytoplasm.

Inpocketings of the cell membrane (caveolae) in the rat myocardium

The surface membrane of cardiac muscle cells of the rat papillary muscle shows, in addition to the openings of the T tubules, many small inpocketings (caveolae). Some caveolae are flask shaped, but many others are composite in shape and nonuniform in size; they all open into the intercellular space through a single, narrow neck. Their packing density is 6.1/ μ m 2 of cell surface and it has been culculated that they increase the cell membrane area by about 27%. A network of sarcoplasmic reticulum tubules lies close to the caveolae. Intramembranous particles, 9 nm in diameter, are fewer in the membrane of the caveolae than in the surface membrane proper and have no special arrangement around the caveolar necks. By comparison, the caveolae of endothelial cells are smaller and uniform in size, and have a greater packing density (67.5/ μ m 2 ). The caveolae of vascular smooth muscle cells are small and uniform in size, are arranged in rows, are associated with sarcoplasmic reticulum, and have a characteristic distribution of intramembranous particles around their necks.

Localization of angiotensin converting enzyme (kininase II). I. Preparation of antibody-heme-octapeptide conjugates

Antibodies to pig lung angiotensin converting enzyme (kininase II) were conjugated to a heme-octapeptide (8-microperoxidase, 8-MP) derived from cytochrome c. 8-MP, which has only one reactive amine, was coupled to antibody in a two-step procedure using a bifunctional active ester, bis-succinyl succinate. In the first-step, 8-MP was reacted with an excess of bis-succinyl succinate to yield 8-MP-succinyl succinate, a stable compound which can be stored. In a second step, the remaining active ester was used for coupling to reactive amines of the antibody. The conjugate consists of 1.6–2.3 8-MP moieties per antibody. Using these procedures, the formation of complex polymers is avoided. Each molecule of conjugate possesses both immuno-reactivity and peroxidatic activity. The conjugate has been used to localize angiotensin converting enzyme along the plasma membrane and associated caveolae of pig aortic endothelial cells in culture.

Subcellular localization of pulmonary antiotensin-converting enzyme (kininase II)

Goat antibodies to pig lung angiotensin-converting enzyme (kininase II) were conjugated to microperoxidase. Rat lung tissue, previously incubated with non-immune goat serum, was incubated with the antibody-microperoxidase conjugate and then with H2O2 and 3,3-diaminobenzidine. Electron microscopy revealed reaction product on the plasma membrane and caveolae of endothelial cells, especially those of capillaries and venules. These results support the hypothesis that angiotensin I and bradykinin are metabolized by enzymes on the luminal surface of pulmonary endothelial cells.