cAMP protects endothelial barrier functions by preventing Rac-1 inhibition

2004 ◽  
Vol 287 (6) ◽  
pp. H2427-H2433 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Waschke ◽  
D. Drenckhahn ◽  
R. H. Adamson ◽  
H. Barth ◽  
F. E. Curry

cAMP enhances endothelial barrier properties and is protective against various inflammatory mediators both in vivo and in vitro. However, the mechanisms whereby cAMP stabilizes the endothelial barrier are largely unknown. Recently we demonstrated that the Rho family GTPase Rac-1 is required for maintenance of endothelial barrier functions in vivo and in vitro. Therefore, in the present study we investigated the effect of forskolin (5 μM)- and rolipram (10 μM)-induced cAMP increase on reduction of barrier functions in response to Rac-1 inhibition by Clostridium sordellii lethal toxin (LT). Forskolin and rolipram treatment blocked LT (200 ng/ml)-induced hydraulic conductivity ( Lp) increase in mesenteric microvessels in vivo. Likewise, LT-induced intercellular gap formation in monolayers of cultured microvascular myocardial endothelial (MyEnd) cells and LT-induced loss of adhesion of vascular endothelial cadherin-coated microbeads were abolished. Inhibition of PKA by myristoylated inhibitor peptide (14–22) of PKA (100 μM) reduced the protective effect of cAMP on LT-induced Lp increase in vivo and gap formation in vitro, indicating that the effect of cAMP on Rac-1 inhibition was PKA dependent. Glucosylation assays demonstrated that cAMP prevents inhibitory Rac-1 glucosylation by LT, indicating that one way that cAMP enhances endothelial barrier functions may be by regulating Rac-1 signaling. Our study suggests that cAMP may provide its well-established protective effects at least in part by regulation of Rho proteins.

2016 ◽  
Vol 310 (8) ◽  
pp. H1039-H1044 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anita Guequén ◽  
Rodrigo Carrasco ◽  
Patricia Zamorano ◽  
Lorena Rebolledo ◽  
Pia Burboa ◽  
...  

The adherens junction complex, composed mainly of vascular endothelial (VE)-cadherin, β-catenin, p120, and γ-catenin, is the main element of the endothelial barrier in postcapillary venules. S-nitrosylation of β-catenin and p120 is an important step in proinflammatory agents-induced hyperpermeability. We investigated in vitro and in vivo whether or not VE-cadherin is S-nitrosylated using platelet-activating factor (PAF) as agonist. We report that PAF-stimulates S-nitrosylation of VE-cadherin, which disrupts its association with β-catenin. In addition, based on inhibition of nitric oxide production, our results strongly suggest that S-nitrosylation is required for VE-cadherin phosphorylation on tyrosine and for its internalization. Our results unveil an important mechanism to regulate phosphorylation of junctional proteins in association with S-nitrosylation.


2011 ◽  
Vol 110 (1) ◽  
pp. 213-224 ◽  
Author(s):  
Junjie Xing ◽  
Nurgul Moldobaeva ◽  
Anna A. Birukova

Lung inflammation and alterations in endothelial cell (EC) permeability are key events to development of acute lung injury (ALI). Protective effects of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) have been shown against inflammatory signaling and endothelial barrier dysfunction induced by gram-negative bacterial wall liposaccharide. We hypothesized that ANP may possess more general protective effects and attenuate lung inflammation and EC barrier dysfunction by suppressing inflammatory cascades and barrier-disruptive mechanisms shared by gram-negative and gram-positive pathogens. C57BL/6J wild-type or ANP knockout mice (Nppa−/−) were treated with gram-positive bacterial cell wall compounds, Staphylococcus aureus-derived peptidoglycan (PepG) and/or lipoteichoic acid (LTA) (intratracheal, 2.5 mg/kg each), with or without ANP (intravenous, 2 μg/kg). In vitro, human pulmonary EC barrier properties were assessed by morphological analysis of gap formation and measurements of transendothelial electrical resistance. LTA and PepG markedly increased pulmonary EC permeability and activated p38 and ERK1/2 MAP kinases, NF-κB, and Rho/Rho kinase signaling. EC barrier dysfunction was further elevated upon combined LTA and PepG treatment, but abolished by ANP pretreatment. In vivo, LTA and PepG-induced accumulation of protein and cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, tissue neutrophil infiltration, and increased Evans blue extravasation in the lungs was significantly attenuated by intravenous injection of ANP. Accumulation of bronchoalveolar lavage markers of LTA/PepG-induced lung inflammation and barrier dysfunction was further augmented in ANP−/− mice and attenuated by exogenous ANP injection. These results strongly suggest a protective role of ANP in the in vitro and in vivo models of ALI associated with gram-positive infection. Thus ANP may have important implications in therapeutic strategies aimed at the treatment of sepsis and ALI-induced gram-positive bacterial pathogens.


2004 ◽  
Vol 286 (1) ◽  
pp. H394-H401 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Waschke ◽  
W. Baumgartner ◽  
R. H. Adamson ◽  
M. Zeng ◽  
K. Aktories ◽  
...  

Our previous experiments indicated that GTPases, other than RhoA, are important for the maintenance of endothelial barrier integrity in both intact microvessels of rats and mice and cultured mouse myocardial endothelial (MyEnd) cell monolayers ( J Physiol 539: 295–308, 2002). In the present study, we inhibited the endothelial GTPase Rac by Clostridium sordellii lethal toxin (LT) and investigated the relation between the degree of inhibition of Rac by glucosylation and increased endothelial barrier permeability. In rat venular microvessels, LT (200 ng/ml) increased hydraulic conductivity from a control value of 2.5 ± 0.6 to 100.8 ± 18.7 × 10–7 cm·s–1·cmH2O–1 after 80 min. In cultured MyEnd cells exposed to LT (200 ng/ml), up to 60% of cellular Rac was glucosylated after 90 min, resulting in depolymerization of F-actin and interruptions of junctional distribution of vascular endothelial cadherin (VE-cadherin) and β-catenin as well as the formation of intercellular gaps. To understand the mechanism by which inhibition of Rac caused disassembly of adherens junctions, we used laser tweezers to quantify VE-cadherin-mediated adhesion. LT and cytochalasin D, an actin depolymerizing agent, both reduced adhesion of VE-cadherin-coated microbeads to the endothelial cell surface, whereas the inhibitor of Rho kinase Y-27632 did not. Stabilization of actin filaments by jasplakinolide completely blocked the effect of cytochalasin D but not of LT on bead adhesion. We conclude that Rac regulates endothelial barrier properties in vivo and in vitro by 1) modulation of actin filament polymerization and 2) acting directly on the tether between VE-cadherin and the cytoskeleton.


2011 ◽  
Vol 300 (6) ◽  
pp. L851-L862 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sascha David ◽  
Chandra C. Ghosh ◽  
Philipp Kümpers ◽  
Nelli Shushakova ◽  
Paul Van Slyke ◽  
...  

A synthetic 7-mer, HHHRHSF, was recently identified by screening a phage display library for binding to the Tie-2 receptor. A polyethylene-oxide clustered version of this peptide, termed vasculotide (VT), was reported to activate Tie-2 and promote angiogenesis in a mouse model of diabetic ulcer. We hypothesized that VT administration would defend endothelial barrier function against sepsis-associated mediators of permeability, prevent lung vascular leakage arising in endotoxemia, and improve mortality in endotoxemic mice. In confluent human microvascular endothelial cells, VT prevented endotoxin-induced (lipopolysaccharides, LPS O111:B4) gap formation, loss of monolayer resistance, and translocation of labeled albumin. In 8-wk-old male C57Bl6/J mice given a ∼70% lethal dose of endotoxin (15 mg/kg ip), VT prevented lung vascular leakage and reversed the attenuation of lung vascular endothelial cadherin induced by endotoxemia. These protective effects of VT were associated with activation of Tie-2 and its downstream mediator, Akt. Echocardiographic studies showed only a nonsignificant trend toward improved myocardial performance associated with VT. Finally, we evaluated survival in this mouse model. Pretreatment with VT improved survival by 41.4% ( n = 15/group, P = 0.02) and post-LPS administration of VT improved survival by 33.3% ( n = 15/group, P = 0.051). VT-mediated protection from LPS lethality was lost in Tie-2 heterozygous mice, in agreement with VT's proposed receptor specificity. We conclude that this synthetic Tie-2 agonist, completely unrelated to endogenous Tie-2 ligands, is sufficient to activate the receptor and its downstream pathways in vivo and that the Tie-2 receptor may be an important target for therapeutic evaluation in conditions of pathological vascular leakage.


2005 ◽  
Vol 288 (3) ◽  
pp. H1296-H1305 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Waschke ◽  
F. E. Curry ◽  
R. H. Adamson ◽  
D. Drenckhahn

We tested the hypothesis that the equilibrium between F- and G-actin in endothelial cells modulates the integrity of the actin cytoskeleton and is important for the maintenance of endothelial barrier functions in vivo and in vitro. We used the actin-depolymerizing agent cytochalasin D and jasplakinolide, an actin filament (F-actin) stabilizing and promoting substance, to modulate the actin cytoskeleton. Low doses of jasplakinolide (0.1 μM), which we have previously shown to reduce the permeability-increasing effect of cytochalasin D, had no influence on resting permeability of single-perfused mesenteric microvessels in vivo as well as on monolayer integrity. The F-actin content of cultured endothelial cells remained unchanged. In contrast, higher doses (10 μM) of jasplakinolide increased permeability (hydraulic conductivity) to the same extent as cytochalasin D and induced formation of intercellular gaps in cultured myocardial endothelial (MyEnd) cell monolayers. This was accompanied by a 34% increase of F-actin and pronounced disorganization of the actin cytoskeleton in MyEnd cells. Furthermore, we tested whether an increase of cAMP by forskolin and rolipram would prevent the cytochalasin D-induced barrier breakdown. Conditions that increase intracellular cAMP failed to block the cytochalasin D-induced permeability increase in vivo and the reduction of vascular endothelial cadherin-mediated adhesion in vitro. Taken together, these data support the hypothesis that the state of polymerization of the actin cytoskeleton is critical for maintenance of endothelial barrier functions and that both depolymerization by cytochalasin D and hyperpolymerization of actin by jasplakinolide resulted in an increase of microvessel permeability in vivo. However, cAMP, which is known to support endothelial barrier functions, seems to work by mechanisms other than stabilizing F-actin.


2007 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 312-328 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luca Cucullo ◽  
Pierre-Olivier Couraud ◽  
Babette Weksler ◽  
Ignacio-Andres Romero ◽  
Mohammed Hossain ◽  
...  

In evaluating drugs that enter or are excluded from the brain, novel pharmaceutical strategies are needed. For this reason, we have developed a humanized Dynamic In vitro Blood—Brain Barrier model (hDIV-BBB) based on a novel human brain vascular endothelial cell line (HCMEC/D3), which closely mimics the BBB in vivo. In this system, HCMEC/D3 was grown in the lumen of hollow microporous fibers and exposed to a physiological pulsatile flow. Comparison with well-established humanized DIV-BBB models (based on human brain and non-brain vascular endothelial cells co-cultured with abluminal astrocytes) demonstrated that HCMEC/D3 cells cultured under flow conditions maintain in vitro physiological permeability barrier properties of the BBB in situ even in the absence of abluminal astrocytes. Measurements of glucose metabolism demonstrated that HCMEC/D3 cells retain an aerobic metabolic pathway. Permeability to sucrose and two relevant central nervous system drugs showed that the HCMEC/D3 cells grown under dynamic conditions closely mimic the physiological permeability properties of the BBB in situ (slope = 0.93). Osmotic disruption of the BBB was also successfully achieved. Peak BBB opening in the DIV-BBB lasted from 20 to 30 mins and was completely reversible. Furthermore, the sequence of flow cessation/reperfusion in the presence of leukocytes led to BBB failure as demonstrated by a biphasic decrease in transendothelial electrical resistance. Additionally, BBB failure was paralleled by the intraluminal release of proinflammatory factors (interleukin-6 and interleukin-1β) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9). Pretreatment with ibuprofen (0.125 mmol/L) prevented BBB failure by decreasing the inflammatory response after flow cessation/reperfusion.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Tigrine ◽  
A. Kameli

In this study a polyphenolic extract from Cleome arabica leaves (CALE) was investigated for its antioxidant activity in vitro using DPPH•, metal chelating and reducing power methods and for its protective effects against AraC-induced hematological toxicity in vivo using Balb C mice. Results indicated that CALE exhibited a strong and dose-dependent scavenging activity against the DPPH• free radical (IC50 = 4.88 μg/ml) and a high reducing power activity (EC50 = 4.85 μg/ml). Furthermore, it showed a good chelating effects against ferrous ions (IC50 = 377.75 μg/ml). The analysis of blood showed that subcutaneous injection of AraC (50 mg/kg) to mice during three consecutive days caused a significant myelosupression (P < 0.05). The combination of CALE and AraC protected blood cells from a veritable toxicity. Where, the number of the red cells, the amount of hemoglobin and the percentage of the hematocrite were significantly high. On the other hand, AraC cause an elevation of body temperature (39 °C) in mice. However, the temperature of the group treated with CALE and AraC remained normal and did not exceed 37.5 °C. The observed biological effects of CALE, in vitro as well as in vivo, could be due to the high polyphenol and flavonoid contents. In addition, the antioxidant activity of CALE suggested to be responsible for its hematoprotective effect.


2020 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zirui Zhang ◽  
Shangcong Han ◽  
Panpan Liu ◽  
Xu Yang ◽  
Jing Han ◽  
...  

Background: Chronic inflammation and lack of angiogenesis are the important pathological mechanisms in deep tissue injury (DTI). Curcumin is a well-known anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agent. However, curcumin is unstable under acidic and alkaline conditions, and can be rapidly metabolized and excreted in the bile, which shortens its bioactivity and efficacy. Objective: This study aimed to prepare curcumin-loaded poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles (CPNPs) and to elucidate the protective effects and underlying mechanisms of wound healing in DTI models. Methods: CPNPs were evaluated for particle size, biocompatibility, in vitro drug release and their effect on in vivo wound healing. Results : The results of in vivo wound closure analysis revealed that CPNP treatments significantly improved wound contraction rates (p<0.01) at a faster rate than other three treatment groups. H&E staining revealed that CPNP treatments resulted in complete epithelialization and thick granulation tissue formation, whereas control groups resulted in a lack of compact epithelialization and persistence of inflammatory cells within the wound sites. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis showed that treatment with CPNPs suppressed IL-6 and TNF-α mRNA expression, and up-regulated TGF-β, VEGF-A and IL-10 mRNA expression. Western blot analysis showed up-regulated protein expression of TGF-β, VEGF-A and phosphorylatedSTAT3. Conclusion: Our results showed that CPNPs enhanced wound healing in DTI models, through modulation of the JAK2/STAT3 signalling pathway and subsequent upregulation of pro-healing factors.


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 1860
Author(s):  
Patricia Diez-Echave ◽  
Izaskun Martín-Cabrejas ◽  
José Garrido-Mesa ◽  
Susana Langa ◽  
Teresa Vezza ◽  
...  

Limosilactobacillus reuteri INIA P572 is a strain able to produce the antimicrobial compound reuterin in dairy products, exhibiting a protective effect against some food-borne pathogens. In this study, we investigated some probiotic properties of this strain such as resistance to gastrointestinal passage or to colonic conditions, reuterin production in a colonic environment, and immunomodulatory activity, using different in vitro and in vivo models. The results showed a high resistance of this strain to gastrointestinal conditions, as well as capacity to grow and produce reuterin in a human colonic model. Although the in vitro assays using the RAW 264.7 macrophage cell line did not demonstrate direct immunomodulatory properties, the in vivo assays using a Dextran Sulphate Sodium (DSS)-induced colitic mice model showed clear immunomodulatory and protective effects of this strain.


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