title: Functional interplay between endothelial nitric oxide synthase and membrane type 1 matrix metalloproteinase in migrating endothelial cells.
abstract: Nitric oxide (NO) is essential for vascular homeostasis and is also a critical modulator of angiogenesis; however, the molecular mechanisms of NO action during angiogenesis remain elusive. We have investigated the potential relationship between NO and membrane type 1-matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) during endothelial migration and capillary tube formation. Endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) colocalizes with MT1-MMP at motility-associated structures in migratory human endothelial cells (ECs); moreover, NO is produced at these structures and is released into the medium during EC migration. We have therefore addressed 2 questions: (1) the putative regulation of MT1-MMP by NO in migratory ECs; and (2) the requirement for MT1-MMP in NO-induced EC migration and tube formation. NO upregulates MT1-MMP membrane clustering on migratory human ECs, and this is accompanied by increased degradation of type I collagen substrate. MT1-MMP membrane expression and localization are impaired in lung ECs from eNOS-deficient mice, and these cells also show impaired migration and tube formation in vitro. Inhibition of MT1-MMP with a neutralizing antibody impairs NOinduced tube formation by human ECs, and NO-induced endothelial migration and tube formation are impaired in lung ECs from mice deficient in MT1-MMP. MT1-MMP thus appears to be a key molecular effector of NO during the EC migration and angiogenic processes, and is a potential therapeutic target for NO-associated vascular disorders.
authors.affiliation: Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Genís
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gonzalo
authors.forename: Antonio S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Tutor
authors.forename: Beatriz G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Gálvez
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martínez-Ruiz
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zaragoza
authors.forename: Santiago
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lamas
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tryggvason
authors.forename: Suneel S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Apte
authors.forename: Alicia G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Arroyo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000201:enzymology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D053511:Matrix Metalloproteinase 14 / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000502:physiology*; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / Q000378:metabolism*; D014470:Umbilical Cord
chemical_list: D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; D053511:Matrix Metalloproteinase 14