PLATELET GLYCOPROTEIN IIb-IIIa-LIKE PROTEINS MEDIATE ENDOTHELIAL CELL ATTACHMENT TO ADHESIVE MATRIX PROTEINS AND ARE UP-REGULATED BY PHORBOL ESTERS
Human endothelial cells (EC) express glycoproteins that are similar to the platelet glycoprotein IIb-IIIa complex (GP IIb-IIIa), the platelet receptor for adhesive proteins. Although GP IIb—IIIa is abundant in both platelets and EC, its only known function is to mediate platelet aggregation. The present study tests the hypotheses that EC attachment to adhesive proteins in the extracellular matrix is mediated by the GP IIb-IIIa-1ike proteins. Endothelial cells attached well to glass slides that were previously coated with adhesive proteins, but not albumin. To determine whether GP IIb-IIIa was involved, EC adherence was measured in the presence and absence of a GP IIb-IIIa monoclonal antibody (7E3) which inhibits fibrinogen (Fg) binding to platelets. The attachment of EC to Fg and von Willebrand factor (vWf), but not fibronectin (Fn) coated slides, was completely inhibited by 7E3. Attachment to vitronectin was partially inhibited. In contrast, EC attachment to Fn was specifically inhibited by a Fn-receptor antibody. Endothelial cell adherence to vWf was also inhibited by a monoclonal antibody (Mab9) against the GP IIb-IIIa binding domain of vWf, but not by antibodies agains.t other portions of vWf. We have further found that 7E3 disrupts monolayers of endothelial cells by detaching the cells from their extracellular matrix. EC incubated in phorbol myris-tate.acetate (PMA) increase in size and appear more tightly adherent to their extracellular matrix. To determine if PMA increases synthesis of cellular receptors for matrix proteins, we have used cDNA probes to measure the mRNA levels of the large subunit of the Fn-receptor (FnRα) and GP IIIa in EC. After a 4 hour incubation in the presence of PMA (10 nM), there was a 2-fold increase in the mRNA levels of both FnRα and GP IIIa, as well as increased cell spreading on the matrix. We conclude: i) the GP Ilb-IIIa complex in EC is a surface receptor for specific adhesive proteins, and is distinct from the FnR, and ii) both GP IIIa and FnRα synthesis are increased by PMA, which causes a concomittant change in cell morphology.