title: TGF-beta1 induces rearrangement of FLK-1-VE-cadherin-beta-catenin complex at the adherens junction through VEGF-mediated signaling.
abstract: VEGF and TGF-beta1 induce angiogenesis but have opposing effects on vascular endothelial cells: VEGF promotes survival; TGF-beta1 induces apoptosis. We have previously shown that TGF-beta1 induces endothelial cell apoptosis via up-regulation of VEGF expression and activation of signaling through VEGF receptor-2 (flk-1). In context with TGF-beta1, VEGF signaling is transiently converted from a survival into an apoptotic one. VEGF promotes cell survival in part via activation of PI3K/Akt by a mechanism dependent on the formation of a multi-protein complex that includes flk-1 and the adherens junction proteins VE-cadherin and beta-catenin. Here we report that TGF-beta1 induces rearrangement of the adherens junction complex by separating flk-1 from VE-cadherin and increasing beta-catenin association with both flk-1 and VE-cadherin. This rearrangement is caused neither by changes in adherens junction mRNA or protein expression nor by post-translational modification, and requires VEGF signaling through flk-1. These results show that the adherens junction is an important regulatory component of TGF-beta1-VEGF interaction in endothelial cells.
authors.affiliation: Seymour Cohn Cardiovascular Research Laboratory, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016, USA.
authors.forename: Brandoch D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pintucci
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mignatti
mesh_terms: D022005:Adherens Junctions / Q000378:metabolism*; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism*; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D015398:Signal Transduction; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000502:physiology*; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D000099152:Cadherin 5
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D015820:Cadherins; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2; D051176:beta Catenin; D000099152:Cadherin 5