Cytoskeleton assembly at endothelial cell-cell contacts is regulated by alphaII-spectrin-VASP complexes

J Cell Biol. 2008 Jan 14;180(1):205-19. doi: 10.1083/jcb.200709181.

Abstract

Directed cortical actin assembly is the driving force for intercellular adhesion. Regulated by phosphorylation, vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) participates in actin fiber formation. We screened for endothelial proteins, which bind to VASP, dependent on its phosphorylation status. Differential proteomics identified alphaII-spectrin as such a VASP-interacting protein. alphaII-Spectrin binds to the VASP triple GP(5)-motif via its SH3 domain. cAMP-dependent protein kinase-mediated VASP phosphorylation at Ser157 inhibits alphaII-spectrin-VASP binding. VASP is dephosphorylated upon formation of cell-cell contacts and in confluent, but not in sparse cells, alphaII-spectrin colocalizes with nonphosphorylated VASP at cell-cell junctions. Ectopic expression of the alphaII-spectrin SH3 domain at cell-cell contacts translocates VASP, initiates cortical actin cytoskeleton formation, stabilizes cell-cell contacts, and decreases endothelial permeability. Conversely, the permeability of VASP-deficient endothelial cells (ECs) and microvessels of VASP-null mice increases. Reconstitution of VASP-deficient ECs rescues barrier function, whereas alphaII-spectrin binding-deficient VASP mutants fail to restore elevated permeability. We propose that alphaII-spectrin-VASP complexes regulate cortical actin cytoskeleton assembly with implications for vascular permeability.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Actin Cytoskeleton / metabolism*
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Binding Sites
  • Carrier Proteins / analysis
  • Carrier Proteins / chemistry
  • Carrier Proteins / physiology*
  • Cell Adhesion
  • Cell Adhesion Molecules / analysis
  • Cell Adhesion Molecules / chemistry
  • Cell Adhesion Molecules / physiology*
  • Endothelial Cells / cytology
  • Endothelial Cells / metabolism
  • Endothelial Cells / ultrastructure*
  • Intercellular Junctions / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Microfilament Proteins / analysis
  • Microfilament Proteins / chemistry
  • Microfilament Proteins / physiology*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Phosphoproteins / analysis
  • Phosphoproteins / chemistry
  • Phosphoproteins / physiology*
  • Phosphorylation
  • Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs
  • Protein Interaction Mapping

Substances

  • Carrier Proteins
  • Cell Adhesion Molecules
  • Microfilament Proteins
  • Phosphoproteins
  • fodrin
  • vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein