title: High expression of the focal adhesion- and microfilament-associated protein VASP in vascular smooth muscle and endothelial cells of the intact human vessel wall.
abstract: The focal adhesion and microfilament-associated protein VASP is a major substrate of both cAMP- and cGMP-dependent protein kinase in intact human platelets. The recent elucidation of the primary VASP structure and identity of VASP binding proteins suggest that VASP is an important component of focal contacts which link signal transduction pathways and elements controlling cell motility. In this study, the high expression of VASP in vascular smooth muscle and endothelial cells of human blood vessels is reported. Western blot and immunofluorescence analysis detected VASP in human heart, femoral artery and a uterine leiomyosarcoma. Within these tissues, smooth muscle cells, small capillaries and the endothelial cell layer were strongly stained by the VASP antiserum. In human heart, an overlapping cellular distribution of the cGMP-dependent protein kinase I (cGK I) and its substrate VASP was noted. Immunoelectron microscopy experiments with vascular smooth muscle cells of the vessel wall revealed that VASP is localized in close proximity to microfilaments, dense plaques and dense bodies. The data of this study and the properties of VASP as a major target of inhibitory vasoactive agents suggest that VASP is an important component which participates in the regulation of cell motility of human vessel wall cells in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Universitätsklinik Würzburg, Institut für Klinische Biochemie und Pathobiochemie, FRG.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Markert
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Krenn
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Leebmann
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Walter
mesh_terms: D001665:Binding Sites; D015153:Blotting, Western; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D017869:Cyclic GMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006801:Humans; D007890:Leiomyosarcoma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D010973:Platelet Adhesiveness / Q000502:physiology; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism; D000098662:Vasodilator-Stimulated Phosphoprotein
chemical_list: D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D000098662:Vasodilator-Stimulated Phosphoprotein; D017869:Cyclic GMP-Dependent Protein Kinases