VE-cadherin involved in the pulmonary microvascular endothelial cell barrier injury induced by angiotensin II through modulating the cellular apoptosis and skeletal rearrangement.
OBJECTIVE
Angiotensin II (AngII) involved in the pathogenesis of pulmonary injury through impairing the integrity of pulmonary microvascular endothelial barrier, but the mechanism is still not clear. We aim to determine the roles of VE-cadherin, playing crucial roles in the adhesion of the vascular endothelial barrier and the barrier function, in the pulmonary microvascular endothelial cell (PMVEC) barrier injury mediated by AngII.


METHODS
Mice acute lung injury (ALI) model was induced through pumping of AngII. The infiltration of macrophages and neutrophils as well as the PMVEC permeability were determined in order to determine the barrier injury in vivo and in vitro. Knockdown of VE-cadherin was established using siRNA technique, and its roles in the apoptosis and skeletal rearrangement in the PMVECs were evaluated.


RESULTS
After AngII interference, the expression of VE-cadherin in the PMVECs and pulmonary tissues in mice was down-regulated. Upon VE-cadherin knockdown through siRNA technique, AngII induced susceptibility of PMVECs to apoptosis. Knockdown of VE-cadherin contributed to the skeletal rearrangement in the endothelial cells, together with increase of permeability.


CONCLUSIONS
VE-cadherin expression is closely related to the apoptosis and skeletal rearrangement of PMVECs induced by AngII.
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University Wuhan 430060, China.
Zhiyong
Z
Wu
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University Wuhan 430060, China.
Huagang
H
Liu
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University Wuhan 430060, China.
Wei
W
Ren
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University Wuhan 430060, China.
Feifeng
F
Dai
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University Wuhan 430060, China.
Jinxing
J
Chang
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University Wuhan 430060, China.
Bowen
B
Li
VE-cadherin; acute lung injury; angiotensin II; apoptosis; endothelial cell barrier; skeletal rearrangement