title: ADAM10 regulates endothelial permeability and T-Cell transmigration by proteolysis of vascular endothelial cadherin.
abstract: Vascular endothelial (VE)-cadherin is the major adhesion molecule of endothelial adherens junctions. It plays an essential role in controlling endothelial permeability, vascular integrity, leukocyte transmigration, and angiogenesis. Elevated levels of soluble VE-cadherin are associated with diseases like coronary atherosclerosis. Previous data showed that the extracellular domain of VE-cadherin is released by an unknown metalloprotease activity during apoptosis. In this study, we used gain-of-function analyses, inhibitor studies, and RNA interference experiments to analyze the proteolytic release of VE-cadherin in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). We found that VE-cadherin is specifically cleaved by the disintegrin and metalloprotease ADAM10 in its ectodomain, releasing a soluble fragment and generating a carboxyl-terminal membrane-bound stub, which is a substrate for a subsequent gamma-secretase cleavage. This ADAM10-mediated proteolysis could be induced by Ca(2+) influx and staurosporine treatment, indicating that ADAM10-mediated VE-cadherin cleavage contributes to the dissolution of adherens junctions during endothelial cell activation and apoptosis, respectively. In contrast, protein kinase C activation or inhibition did not modulate VE-cadherin processing. Increased ADAM10 expression was functionally associated with an increase in endothelial permeability. Remarkably, our data indicate that ADAM10 activity also contributes to the thrombin-induced decrease of endothelial cell-cell adhesion. Moreover, knockdown of ADAM10 in HUVECs as well as in T cells by small interfering RNA impaired T-cell transmigration. Taken together, our data identify ADAM10 as a novel regulator of vascular permeability and demonstrate a hitherto unknown function of ADAM10 in the regulation of VE-cadherin-dependent endothelial cell functions and leukocyte transendothelial migration.
authors.affiliation: Biochemical Institute, Christian-Albrecht-University Kiel, Olshausenstr. 40, D-24098 Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: Beate
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schulz
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pruessmeyer
authors.forename: Thorsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maretzky
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ludwig
authors.forename: Carl P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Blobel
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Saftig
authors.forename: Karina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Reiss
mesh_terms: D051722:ADAM Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000072197:ADAM10 Protein; D022005:Adherens Junctions / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D053829:Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism*; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002199:Capillary Permeability / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000276:immunology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D006490:Hemostatics / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D036904:Leukocyte Rolling / Q000502:physiology; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000378:metabolism; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D013917:Thrombin / Q000494:pharmacology; D014471:Umbilical Veins / Q000166:cytology; D000099152:Cadherin 5
chemical_list: D051722:ADAM Proteins; D000072197:ADAM10 Protein; D053829:Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases; D015703:Antigens, CD; D015820:Cadherins; D002118:Calcium; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D006490:Hemostatics; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011493:Protein Kinase C; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D013917:Thrombin; D000099152:Cadherin 5; C491236:ADAM10 protein, human