α1G T-Type Calcium Channel Determines the Angiogenic Potential of Pulmonary Microvascular Endothelial Cells

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Z. Zheng ◽  
H. Chen ◽  
P. Xie ◽  
C.A. Dickerson ◽  
J. King ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Endothelial Cells ◽  
Calcium Channel ◽  
Microvascular Endothelial Cells ◽  
Angiogenic Potential ◽  
Pulmonary Microvascular Endothelial Cells ◽  
Microvascular Endothelial

scholarly journals α1G T-type calcium channel determines the angiogenic potential of pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells

2019 ◽  
Vol 316 (3) ◽  
pp. C353-C364 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhen Zheng ◽  
Hairu Chen ◽  
Peilin Xie ◽  
Carol A. Dickerson ◽  
Judy A. C. King ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Endothelial Cells ◽  
Functional Role ◽  
Transient Receptor Potential ◽  
Network Formation ◽  
Microvascular Endothelial Cells ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Channel Blockade ◽  
Angiogenic Potential ◽  
Pulmonary Microvascular Endothelial Cells ◽  
Microvascular Endothelial

Pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (PMVECs) display a rapid angioproliferative phenotype, essential for maintaining homeostasis in steady-state and promoting vascular repair after injury. Although it has long been established that endothelial cytosolic Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) transients are required for proliferation and angiogenesis, mechanisms underlying such regulation and the transmembrane channels mediating the relevant [Ca2+]i transients remain incompletely understood. In the present study, the functional role of the microvascular endothelial site-specific α1G T-type Ca2+ channel in angiogenesis was examined. PMVECs intrinsically possess an in vitro angiogenic “network formation” capacity. Depleting extracellular Ca2+ abolishes network formation, whereas blockade of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor or nitric oxide synthase has little or no effect, suggesting that the network formation is a [Ca2+]i-dependent process. Blockade of the T-type Ca2+ channel or silencing of α1G, the only voltage-gated Ca2+ channel subtype expressed in PMVECs, disrupts network formation. In contrast, blockade of canonical transient receptor potential (TRP) isoform 4 or TRP vanilloid 4, two other Ca2+ permeable channels expressed in PMVECs, has no effect on network formation. T-type Ca2+ channel blockade also reduces proliferation, cell-matrix adhesion, and migration, three major components of angiogenesis in PMVECs. An in vivo study demonstrated that the mice lacking α1G exhibited a profoundly impaired postinjury cell proliferation in the lungs following lipopolysaccharide challenge. Mechanistically, T-type Ca2+ channel blockade reduces Akt phosphorylation in a dose-dependent manner. Blockade of Akt or its upstream activator, phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K), also impairs network formation. Altogether, these findings suggest a novel functional role for the α1G T-type Ca2+ channel to promote the cell’s angiogenic potential via a PI3K-Akt signaling pathway.

CaMK4 Is a Downstream Effector of the α1G T-type Calcium Channel to Determine the Angiogenic Potential of Pulmonary Microvascular Endothelial Cells

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhen Zheng ◽  
Xuelin Wang ◽  
Yuxia Wang ◽  
Judy A.C. King ◽  
Peilin Xie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Proliferation ◽  
Endothelial Cells ◽  
Network Formation ◽  
Microvascular Endothelial Cells ◽  
Angiogenic Potential ◽  
Akt Phosphorylation ◽  
Pulmonary Microvascular Endothelial Cells ◽  
Downstream Effector ◽  
Phosphorylation Level ◽  
Microvascular Endothelial

Pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (PMVECs) uniquely express an α1G-subtype of voltage-gated T-type Ca2+ channel. We have previously revealed that the α1G channel functions as a background Ca2+ entry pathway that is critical for the cell proliferation, migration, and angiogenic potential of PMVECs, a novel function attributed to the coupling between α1G-mediate Ca2+ entry and constitutive Akt phosphorylation and activation. Despite this significance, mechanism(s) that link the α1G-mediated Ca2+ entry to Akt phosphorylation remain incompletely understood. In the present study, we demonstrate that Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CaMK) 4 serves as a downstream effector of the α1G-mediated Ca2+ entry to promote the angiogenic potential of PMVECs. Notably, CaMK2 and CaMK4 are both expressed in PMVECs. Pharmacological blockade or genetic knockdown of the α1G channel led to a significant reduction in the phosphorylation level of CaMK4 but not the phosphorylation level of CaMK2. Pharmacological inhibition as well as genetic knockdown of CaMK4 significantly decreased cell proliferation, migration, and network formation capacity in PMVECs. However, CaMK4 inhibition or knockdown did not alter Akt phosphorylation status in PMVECs, indicating that α1G/Ca2+/CaMK4 is independent of the α1G/Ca2+/Akt pathway in sustaining the cells' angiogenic potential. Altogether, these findings suggest a novel α1G-CaMK4 signaling complex that regulates the Ca2+-dominated angiogenic potential in PMVECs.

Proproliferative phenotype of pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells

2007 ◽  
Vol 292 (3) ◽  
pp. L671-L677 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victor Solodushko ◽  
Brian Fouty
Keyword(s):  
Endothelial Cells ◽  
Barrier Function ◽  
Pulmonary Arteries ◽  
D1 Protein ◽  
Coagulation Cascade ◽  
Microvascular Endothelial Cells ◽  
Significant Heterogeneity ◽  
Pulmonary Microvascular Endothelial Cells ◽  
Microvascular Endothelial ◽  
Pulmonary Microcirculation

Endothelial cells perform a number of important functions including release of vasodilators, control of the coagulation cascade, and restriction of solutes and fluid from the extravascular space. Regulation of fluid balance is of particular importance in the microcirculation of the lung where the loss of endothelial barrier function can lead to alveolar flooding and life-threatening hypoxemia. Significant heterogeneity exists between endothelial cells lining the microcirculation and cells from larger pulmonary arteries, however, and these differences may be relevant in restoring barrier function following vascular injury. Using well-defined populations of rat endothelial cells harvested from the pulmonary microcirculation [pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (PMVEC)] and from larger pulmonary arteries [pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAEC)], we compared their growth characteristics in low serum conditions. Withdrawal of serum inhibited proliferation and induced G0/G1 arrest in PAEC, whereas PMVEC failed to undergo G0/G1 arrest and continued to proliferate. Consistent with this observation, PMVEC had an increased cdk4 and cdk2 kinase activity with hyperphosphorylated (inactive) retinoblastoma (Rb) relative to PAEC as well as a threefold increase in cyclin D1 protein levels; overexpression of the cdk inhibitors p21Cip1/Waf1 and p27Kip1 induced G0/G1 arrest. While serum withdrawal failed to induce G0/G1 arrest in nonconfluent PMVEC, confluence was associated with hypophosphorylated Rb and growth arrest; loss of confluence led to resumption of growth. These data suggest that nonconfluent PMVEC continue to proliferate independently of growth factors. This proliferative characteristic may be important in restoring confluence (and barrier function) in the pulmonary microcirculation following endothelial injury.

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