Lee Ann Sporn

Inducible secretion of large, biologically potent von Willebrand factor multimers

von Willebrand factor (vWf) secreted constitutively by human endothelial cells was compared to that released from Weibel-Palade bodies after stimulation. The majority of constitutively secreted molecules were dimeric and contained both pro-vWf and mature subunits. In contrast, the vWf released by the calcium ionophore A23187 or thrombin consisted of only very large multimers of mature subunits. The large multimers are known to be more active in in vitro platelet binding assays, and their absence in vivo results in a bleeding disorder. Endothelial cells therefore concentrate a special subclass of very large and biologically potent vWf multimers in Weibel-Palade bodies, presumably available for release in response to vascular injury.

Biosynthesis of von Willebrand protein by human megakaryocytes.

Immunofluorescence staining of buffy coat smears from a patient with chronic myelogenous leukemia in accelerated phase showed that approximately 13% of all nucleated cells contained von Willebrand protein and, therefore, appeared to be of megakaryocytic origin. This was confirmed by positive staining with antisera against platelet factor 4 and platelet glycoproteins. Short-term cultures of the buffy coat, which lacked endothelial cells, were metabolically labeled with [35S]methionine, and von Willebrand protein was immunopurified from cell lysates and culture medium. Cultures from this patient synthesized and secreted von Willebrand protein, in contrast with cultures from other patients with leukemia, who lacked circulating megakaryocytes, and from normal volunteers. The subunit composition of the megakaryocytic von Willebrand protein was very similar to that of human umbilical vein endothelial cells. The size of the processed subunit (220 kD) and of the cellular (260 kD) and secreted (275 kD) precursors from the two cell types were indistinguishable by gel electrophoresis. Furthermore, the ratio of precursor to processed subunit and the pattern of cellular and secreted nonreduced multimers were very similar. It appears, therefore, that the processing steps in biosynthesis of von Willebrand protein used by the megakaryocytes are very similar to those of umbilical vein endothelial cells.

Potentiation of Endothelial Cell Proliferation by Fibrin(ogen)-bound Fibroblast Growth Factor-2

Endothelial cell growth is stimulated by fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2), and both adhesion and proliferation are modulated by interactions with fibrinogen and fibrin. Previous evidence indicates that FGF-2 binds specifically and with high affinity to fibrinogen and fibrin, suggesting that their effects on endothelial cells may be coordinated. In this study, we have, therefore, investigated the ability of FGF-2 bound to fibrinogen and fibrin to stimulate proliferation of endothelial cells. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells were cultured in the presence of FGF-2 with or without fibrinogen, and proliferation was assessed by microscopic examination of cultures, incorporation of [3H]thymidine and by cell counting. Cells cultured in the presence of both FGF-2 and fibrinogen proliferated more rapidly than those with FGF-2 alone and exhibited a decreased population doubling time. At concentrations of FGF-2 up to 150 ng/ml, there was greater endothelial cell proliferation in the presence of fibrinogen than in its absence with the most pronounced effect below 1 ng/ml. The maximum effect of fibrinogen was observed at a molar ratio of fibrinogen to FGF-2 of 2:1, corresponding to the maximum molar binding ratio. Endothelial cells proliferated when plated on fibrin or surface-immobilized fibrinogen with FGF-2, indicating that FGF-2 bound to surface-associated fibrin(ogen) retained activity. We conclude that fibrinogen- or fibrin-bound FGF-2 is able to support endothelial cell proliferation and that fibrinogen potentiates the proliferative capacity of FGF-2.

Irradiation induces release of von Willebrand protein from endothelial cells in culture

Human umbilical vein endothelial cells in tissue culture were irradiated with doses between 0 and 40 Gy, and the released von Willebrand (vW) protein and that which remained associated with the cells was quantitated. Doses of 20 Gy and higher produced a statistically significant increase in amount of vW protein secreted. This release was present whether the cells were labeled continuously throughout the experiment or just prelabeled before irradiation. An increase in fibronectin secretion was not observed. The release response to radiation was slow, reaching significance close to 24 hours after irradiation. The release of vW protein was not due to cell lysis, because the secreted vW protein contained very little of the large 260-kilodalton vW precursor subunit present in cell lysates and the cells appeared intact by immunofluorescence staining.

Endothelial cell spreading on fibrin requires fibrinopeptide B cleavage and amino acid residues 15-42 of the beta chain.

Adhesion and spreading of cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells on fibrin surfaces of varying structure were characterized to understand better the interactions occurring between endothelium and fibrin at sites of vascular injury. Fibrin prepared with reptilase, which cleaves only fibrinopeptide A from fibrinogen, and fibrin prepared with thrombin, which cleaves both fibrinopeptide A and fibrinopeptide B, equally supported endothelial cell adhesion. In contrast, only fibrin made with thrombin mediated endothelial cell spreading, as assessed by fluorescence microscopy of cells stained with rhodamine phalloidin to identify actin stress fibers or by scanning electron microscopy. Fibrin prepared with reptilase failed to support cell spreading. To further investigate the role of the amino terminus of the fibrin beta chain after fibrinopeptide B cleavage in promoting cell spreading, protease III from Crotalus atrox venom was used to specifically cleave the amino-terminal 42 residues of the fibrinogen B beta chain. After clotting with thrombin, this fibrin derivative lacking B beta 1-42 failed to support significant cell spreading. Spreading on fibrin was unaffected by depletion of Weibel-Palade bodies from endothelial cells, indicating that the spreading was independent of stimulated von Willebrand factor release. We conclude that endothelial cell spreading on fibrin requires fibrinopeptide B cleavage and involves residues 15-42 of the fibrin beta chain.

Heparin-Binding Domain of Fibrin Mediates Its Binding to Endothelial Cells

Spreading of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (ECs) on fibrin requires thrombin cleavage of fibrinopeptide B (FPB) and subsequent exposure of the new β15-42 N-terminus. To further understand the interactions between ECs and fibrin β15-42 sequences, binding of fibrin(ogen) to EC monolayers was measured with polyclonal anti-fibrinogen (FBG) in parallel with monoclonal anti-FBG (18C6, β1-21; J88B, γ63-78) and anti-fibrin (T2G1, β15-21) antibodies in an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. To accomplish this, large, soluble fragments of fibrin were prepared by cyanogen bromide (CNBr) cleavage (fibrin-CNBr); CNBr-cleaved FBG (FBG-CNBr) served as the control ligand. N-terminal fibrin-CNBr bound to EC monolayers and cells in suspension in a dose-dependent and saturable manner. By contrast, FBG-CNBr bound only 50% as well to EC monolayers, with no significant binding of intact FBG, C-terminal FBG plasmic fragment D, or N-terminal plasmic fragment E, which lacks β1-53. ECs bound the peptide β15-42–bov...

Interactions of Rickettsia rickettsii with Endothelial Nuclear Factor‐κB in a “Cell‐Free” System

Vascular endothelial cells (EC) are the primary targets of in vivo infection with Rickettsia rickettsii , an obligate intracellular, gram-negative bacterial organism, and the etiological agent for Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Although infection of cultured human endothelial cells with R. rickettsii culminates in extensive membrane damage and necrotic death, 1 it has been established that the endothelial cell is not simply injured by infection, but undergoes a series of responses including functional changes characteristic of an “activated” phenotype. 2 In brief, the endothelial cells display procoagulant and proinflammatory properties during the course of infection, which likely contribute to the manifestation of disease symptoms. Nuclear factor-kappaB (NFκ B) is a dimeric transcription factor composed of homoand heterodimers of the Rel family of proteins (Rel A or p65, Rel B, c-Rel, NFκ B1 or p50, and NFκ B2 or p52). It is now known that NFκ B is present in the cytoplasm of virtually all eukaryotic cells as an inactive complex, bound to one of the members of I κ B (inhibitors of NFκ B) proteins. Stimulus-induced signaling cascades lead to the proteolysis of I κ B and release of active NFκ B, which translocates to the nucleus, binds to κ B enhancer sequences via the DNA-binding domain, and regulates the transcription of specific genes. 3 Our laboratory has shown that NFκ B governs important regulatory functions during R. rickettsii infection of cultured human EC, resulting in reprogramming of gene expression and suppression of apoptotic host cell death. 4,5

Effects of ionizing radiation on the adhesive interaction of human tumor and endothelial cells in vitro

A centrifugation assay was used to determine the effects of ionizing radiation on the adhesive interaction of A549 human lung adenocarcinoma tumor cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). The tumor cells were fluorescently labeled and divided into control (sham-irradiated) and irradiated groups. The irradiated groups were exposed to irradiation levels ranging from 5 to 20 Gy using a Cs source. A specified number of these A549 tumor cells were then delivered into each well of 96-well cell culture plates containing confluent monolayers of human umbilical cord vein endothelial cells (HUVEC), and were given time to adhere to the endothelial cells. The wells were then sealed and were exposed to an acceleration field varying from 1 to 42 g (0-500 rpm) for 10 min. Finally, the wells were drained, and the number of tumor cells adhering to the endothelial monolayer were counted using a fluorescent microscope system. Our results indicate that the irradiation of A549 tumor cells significantly increased their adhesive interaction with endothelial cells (number of adhering irradiated cells/number of adhering control cells = 1.0, 1.3, 1.9, 2.2 for 0, 5, 10, 20 Gy respectively). In contrast, when endothelial cells were irradiated, rather than tumor cells, adhesive interaction decreased with an increase in the radiation dose (irradiated/control = 1.0, 0.9, 0. 8, 0.5 for 0, 5, 10, 20 Gy respectively). Simultaneous irradiation of both the tumor cells and the endothelial cells did not alter their adhesive interaction significantly. These findings may have important implications for the metastatic ability of irradiated tumor cells.

Plasmic degradation of fibrin rapidly decreases platelet adhesion and spreading

Plasmin cleaves fibrin at or near sites involved in platelet recognition and may modulate platelet adhesion and spreading. Using an in vitro system, we have characterized the effects of limited plasmic degradation of polymerized fibrin on platelet adhesion and spreading. As shown by scanning electron microscopy, exposure to plasmin changed the tight fibrillar fibrin surface to a less dense structure with irregular and broken fibers. There was a gradient of proteolytic degradation through the fibrin clot as shown by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with the most extensive degradation at the surface. Plasmic degradation resulted in a rapid and progressive decrease in platelet adhesion. Plasmin exposure for 5 minutes resulted in only 6% solubilization of the fibrin but a 56% decrease in platelet adhesion. After 30 minutes of plasmin exposure, spreading of adherent platelets on fibrin also decreased sharply to a minimum of 35% of baseline. Inhibition experiments with specific monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) indicated that platelet adhesion to undergraded fibrin involved residues within the sequence 566 through 580 of the alpha chain (including the RGDS site), the carboxyl terminal dodecapeptide of the gamma chain, and the amino terminus of the beta chain. MoAb 7E3, reactive with alpha IIb beta 3, inhibited platelet adhesion to fibrinogen by 90% +/- 5%, and to desA fibrin, prepared with Reptilase (American Diagnostica, Greenwich, CT), by 94% +/- 6%, whereas inhibition of adhesion to undegraded desAB fibrin was significantly less (48% +/- 8%, P < .01). The addition of 7E3 to MoAb T2G1, reactive with beta 15-21, significantly increased inhibition to desAB fibrin to 69% +/- 6% (P < .025), suggesting that the newly exposed amino terminus of the beta chain contributes to platelet adhesion. The results show that plasmin exposure of fibrin markedly decreases platelet adhesion and spreading, suggesting that plasmin degradation may play a role in modulating cellular responses to fibrin.