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The lymphatic functions in maintaining lymph transport, and immune surveillance can be impaired by infections and inflammation, thereby causing debilitating disorders, such as lymphedema and inflammatory bowel disease. Histamine is a key inflammatory mediator known to trigger vasodilation and vessel hyperpermeability upon binding to its receptors and evoking intracellular Ca2+([Ca2+]i) dynamics for downstream signal transductions. However, the exact molecular mechanisms beneath the [Ca2+]idynamics and the downstream cellular effects have not been elucidated in the lymphatic system. Here, we show that Ca2+release-activated Ca2+(CRAC) channels, formed by Orai1 and stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1) proteins, are required for the histamine-elicited Ca2+signaling in human dermal lymphatic endothelial cells (HDLECs). Blockers or antagonists against CRAC channels, phospholipase C, and H1R receptors can all significantly diminish the histamine-evoked [Ca2+]idynamics in lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs), while short interfering RNA-mediated knockdown of endogenous Orai1 or STIM1 also abolished the Ca2+entry upon histamine stimulation in LECs. Furthermore, we find that histamine compromises the lymphatic endothelial barrier function by increasing the intercellular permeability and disrupting vascular endothelial-cadherin integrity, which is remarkably attenuated by CRAC channel blockers. Additionally, the upregulated expression of inflammatory cytokines, IL-6 and IL-8, after histamine stimulation was abolished by silencing Orai1 or STIM1 with RNAi in LECs. Taken together, our data demonstrated the essential role of CRAC channels in mediating the [Ca2+]isignaling and downstream endothelial barrier and inflammatory functions induced by histamine in the LECs, suggesting a promising potential to relieve histamine-triggered vascular leakage and inflammatory disorders in the lymphatics by targeting CRAC channel functions.

The shear stress applied to lymphatic endothelial cells (LEC) by lymph flow changes dramatically under normal conditions as well as in response to disease conditions and immune reactions. In general, LEC are known to regulate the contraction frequency and strength of lymphatic pumping in response to shear stress. Intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) is an important factor that regulates lymphatic contraction characteristics. In this study, we measured changes in the [Ca2+]iunder different shear stress levels and determined the source of this calcium signal. Briefly, human dermal LEC were cultured in custom-made microchannels for 3 days before loading with 2 µM fura-2 AM, a ratiometric calcium dye to measure [Ca2+]i. Step changes in shear stress resulted in a rapid increase in [Ca2+]ifollowed by a gradual return to the basal level and sometimes below the initial baseline (45.2 ± 2.2 nM). The [Ca2+]ireached a peak at 126.2 ± 5.6 nM for 10 dyn/cm2stimulus, whereas the peak was only 71.8 ± 5.4 nM for 1 dyn/cm2stimulus, indicating that the calcium signal depends on the magnitude of shear stress. Removal of the extracellular calcium from the buffer or pharmocological blockade of calcium release-activated calcium (CRAC) channels significantly reduced the peak [Ca2+]i, demonstrating a role of extracellular calcium entry. Inhibition of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) calcium pumps showed the importance of intracellular calcium stores in the initiation of this signal. In conclusion, we demonstrated that the shear-mediated calcium signal is dependent on the magnitude of the shear and involves ER store calcium release and extracellular calcium entry.