51. Alteration of endothelial cell monolayer integrity triggers resynthesis of vascular endothelium cadherin.
- Author
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Gulino, D, Delachanal, E, Concord, E, Genoux, Y, Morand, B, Valiron, M O, Sulpice, E, Scaife, R, Alemany, M, and Vernet, T
- Abstract
Although cadherins appear to be necessary for proper cell-cell contacts, the physiological role of VE-cadherin (vascular endothelium cadherin) in adult tissue has not been clearly determined. To shed some light on this question, we have disturbed the adhesive function of VE-cadherin in human endothelial cell culture using a polyclonal anti-VE-cadherin antibody. This antibody disrupts confluent endothelial cell monolayers in vitro and transiently generates numerous gaps at cell-cell junctions. The formation of these gaps correlates with a reversible increase in the monolayer permeability. We present evidence that destruction of the homotypic interactions between the extracellular domains of VE-cadherin induces a rapid resynthesis of VE-cadherin, leading to restoration of endothelial cell-cell contacts. The expression of new molecules of VE-cadherin correlates with a modest but significant increase in VE-cadherin mRNA synthesis. Altogether, these results establish a critical role for VE-cadherin in the maintenance and restoration of endothelium integrity.
- Published
- 1998