Agonist-modulated regulation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in endothelial cells. Evidence for an AMPK -> Rac1 -> Akt -> endothelial nitric-oxide synthase pathway

The endothelial isoform of nitric-oxide synthase (eNOS), a key determinant of vascular homeostasis, is a calcium/calmodulin-dependent phosphoprotein regulated by diverse cell surface receptors. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) stimulate eNOS activity through Akt/phosphoinositide 3-kinase and calcium-dependent pathways. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) also activates eNOS in endothelial cells; however, the molecular mechanisms linking agonist-mediated AMPK regulation with eNOS activation remain incompletely understood. We studied the role of AMPK in VEGF- and S1P-mediated eNOS activation and found that both agonists led to a striking increase in AMPK phosphorylation in pathways involving the calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase beta. Treatment with tyrosine kinase inhibitors or the phosphoinositide 3-kinase inhibitor wortmannin demonstrated differential effects of VEGF versus S1P. Small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated knockdown of AMPKalpha1or Akt1 impaired the stimulatory effects of both VEGF and S1P on eNOS activation. AMPKalpha1 knockdown impaired agonist-mediated Akt phosphorylation, whereas Akt1 knockdown did not affect AMPK activation, thus suggesting that AMPK lies upstream of Akt in the pathway leading from receptor activation to eNOS stimulation. Importantly, we found that siRNA-mediated knockdown of AMPKalpha1 abrogates agonist-mediated activation of the small GTPase Rac1. Conversely, siRNA-mediated knockdown of Rac1 decreased the agonist-mediated phosphorylation of AMPK substrates without affecting that of AMPK, implicating Rac1 as a molecular link between AMPK and Akt in agonist-mediated eNOS activation. Finally, siRNA-mediated knockdown of caveolin-1 significantly enhanced AMPK phosphorylation, suggesting that AMPK is negatively regulated by caveolin-1. Taken together, these results suggest that VEGF and S1P differentially regulate AMPK and establish a central role for an agonist-modulated AMPK --> Rac1 --> Akt axis in the control of eNOS in endothelial cells.     

Rapid transactivation of the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor KDR/Flk-1 by the bradykinin B2 receptor contributes to endothelial nitric-oxide synthase activation in cardiac capillary endothelial cells.

Bradykinin (BK) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-165 stimulate vasodilatation, microvascular permeability, and angiogenesis via the activation of the B2-type and KDR/Flk-1 receptors. To delineate the signal transduction pathways distal to the receptor activation in microvascular permeability, we compared their effects on two downstream targets, i.e. endothelial nitric-oxide (NO) synthase (eNOS) and F-actin, in primary cultures of cardiac capillary endothelial cells. The two mediators induced a similar cytoskeletal reorganization and both the translocation and activation of eNOS, leading to NO release within the first minutes of cell exposure. At the same time, BK produced the tyrosine phosphorylation and internalization of KDR/Flk-1 as did VEGF itself. This transactivation was blocked by the selective inhibitor of VEGF receptor tyrosine kinase activity but not by inhibitors of epidermal growth factor receptor or protein kinase C activity. The selective inhibitor of VEGF receptor tyrosine kinase activity totally prevented the effects of VEGF but only partially inhibited NO release induced by BK without affecting the concomitant cytoskeletal reorganization. Thus, BK transactivated KDR/Flk-1 through an intrinsic kinase activity of KDR/Flk-1, resulting in a further eNOS activation in endothelial cells. This represents a novel mechanism whereby a G protein-coupled receptor activates a receptor tyrosine kinase to generate biological response.     

Sphingosine 1-phosphate and activation of endothelial nitric-oxide synthase. differential regulation of Akt and MAP kinase pathways by EDG and bradykinin receptors in vascular endothelial cells

Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) is a platelet-derived sphingolipid that elicits numerous biological responses in endothelial cells mediated by a family of G protein-coupled EDG receptors. Stimulation of EDG receptors by S1P has been shown to activate the endothelial isoform of nitric-oxide synthase (eNOS) in heterologous expression systems (Igarashi, J., and Michel, T. (2000) J. Biol. Chem. 275, 32363-32370). However, the signaling pathways that modulate eNOS regulation by S1P/EDG in vascular endothelial cells remain less well understood. We now report that S1P treatment of bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC) acutely increases eNOS enzyme activity; the EC(50) for S1P activation of eNOS is approximately 10 nm. The magnitude of eNOS activation by S1P in BAEC is equivalent to that elicited by the agonist bradykinin. S1P treatment activates Akt, a protein kinase implicated in phosphorylation of eNOS. S1P treatment of BAEC leads to eNOS phosphorylation at Ser(1179), a residue phosphorylated by Akt; an eNOS mutant in which this Akt phosphorylation site is inactivated shows attenuated S1P-induced eNOS activation. S1P-induced activation both of Akt and of eNOS is inhibited by pertussis toxin, by the phosphoinositide 3-kinase inhibitor wortmannin, and by the intracellular calcium chelator BAPTA (1,2-bis(aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid). By contrast to S1P, activation of G protein-coupled bradykinin B2 receptors neither activates kinase Akt nor promotes Ser(1179) eNOS phosphorylation despite robustly activating eNOS enzyme activity. Understanding the differential regulation of protein kinase pathways by S1P and bradykinin may lead to the identification of new points for eNOS regulation in vascular endothelial cells.     

Sphingosine 1-phosphate and isoform-specific activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase beta. Evidence for divergence and convergence of receptor-regulated endothelial nitric-oxide synthase signaling pathways

Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) is a platelet-derived sphingolipid that elicits diverse biological responses, including angiogenesis, via the activation of G protein-coupled EDG receptors. S1P activates the endothelial isoform of nitric-oxide synthase (eNOS), associated with eNOS phosphorylation at Ser-1179, a site phosphorylated by protein kinase Akt. We explored the proximal signaling pathways that mediate Akt activation and eNOS regulation by S1P/EDG receptors. Akt is regulated by the lipid kinase phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3-K). We found that bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC) express both alpha and beta isoforms of PI3-K, while lacking the gamma isoform. S1P treatment led to the rapid and isoform-specific activation of PI3-Kbeta in BAEC. PI3-Kbeta can be regulated by G protein betagamma subunits (Gbetagamma). The overexpression of a peptide inhibitor of Gbetagamma attenuated S1P-induced eNOS enzyme activation, as well as S1P-induced phosphorylation of eNOS and Akt. In contrast, bradykinin, a classical eNOS agonist, neither activated any PI3-K isoform nor induced eNOS phosphorylation at Ser-1179, despite activating eNOS in BAEC. Vascular endothelial growth factor activated both PI3-Kalpha and PI3-Kbeta via tyrosine kinase pathways and promoted eNOS phosphorylation that was unaffected by Gbetagamma inhibition. These findings indicate that PI3-Kbeta (regulated by Gbetagamma) may represent a novel molecular locus for eNOS activation by EDG receptors in vascular endothelial cells. These studies also indicate that different eNOS agonists activate distinct signaling pathways that diverge proximally following receptor activation but converge distally to activate eNOS.     

Retinoic acid decreases nitric oxide production in endothelial cells: a role of phosphorylation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase at Ser(1179)

The effects of retinoic acid (RA) on nitric oxide (NO) production are controversial. Furthermore, it has never been studied whether these effects are mediated by direct modulation of phosphorylation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS). Using bovine aortic endothelial cells, we found that all-trans RA (atRA) dose- and time-dependently decreased NO production without alteration in eNOS expression. This decrease was accompanied by reduction in eNOS-Ser(1179) phosphorylation. However, atRA did not alter the phosphorylation of eNOS-Ser(116) or eNOS-Thr(497). Concurrently, atRA also decreased the expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptor KDR/Flk-1, and Akt phosphorylation. Co-treatment with troglitazone, an activator of VEGF expression, reversed the atRA-induced reductions in eNOS-Ser(1179) phosphorylation and NO production, with concomitant restoration in VEGF expression. Direct treatment with VEGF also reversed these inhibitory effects, suggesting an important role for VEGF. Nonetheless, the RARalpha antagonist Ro 41-5253 did not block all the inhibitory effects of atRA, indicating that these inhibitory effects are not mediated by the RA response element (RARE). Thus, atRA decreases eNOS-Ser(1179) phosphorylation through a mechanism that depends on VEGF-KDR/Flk-1-mediated Akt phosphorylation but is independent of RARE, leading to reduction in NO production.     

Vascular endothelial growth factor-dependent down-regulation of Flk-1/KDR involves Cbl-mediated ubiquitination. Consequences on nitric oxide production from endothelial cells

Ligand-stimulated degradation of receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) is an important regulatory step of signal transduction. The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor Flk-1/KDR is responsible for the VEGF-stimulated nitric oxide (NO) production from endothelial cells. Cellular mechanisms mediating the negative regulation of Flk-1 signaling in endothelial cells have not been investigated. Here we show that Flk-1 is rapidly down-regulated following VEGF stimulation of bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs). Consequently, VEGF pretreatment of endothelial cells prevents any further stimulation of Flk-1, resulting in decreased NO production from subsequent VEGF challenges. Ubiquitination of RTKs targets them for degradation; we demonstrate that activation of Flk-1 by VEGF leads to its polyubiquitination in BAECs. Furthermore, VEGF stimulation of BAECs or COS-7 cells transiently transfected with Flk-1 results in the phosphorylation of the ubiquitin ligase Cbl, the enhanced association of Cbl with Flk-1, and the relocalization of Cbl to vesicular structures in BAECs. Overexpression of Cbl in COS-7 cells enhances VEGF-induced ubiquitination of Flk-1, whereas a Cbl mutant lacking the ubiquitin ligase RING finger domain, 70Z/3-Cbl, does not. Moreover, expression of Cbl in contrast to 70Z/3-Cbl inhibits the Flk-1-dependent activation of eNOS and, thus, NO release. In BAEC overexpressing Cbl, the degradation of Flk-1 upon VEGF stimulation is accelerated compared with cells transfected with a control vector (green fluorescent protein). Our findings demonstrate that Flk-1 is rapidly down-regulated following sustained VEGF stimulation and identify Cbl as a negative regulator of Flk-1 signaling to eNOS. Cbl thus plays a role in the regulation of VEGF signaling by mediating the stimulated ubiquitination and, consequently, degradation of Flk-1 in endothelial cells.     

Vascular endothelial growth factor induces expression of connective tissue growth factor via KDR, Flt1, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-akt-dependent pathways in retinal vascular cells

Fibroblastic proliferation accompanies many angiogenesis-related retinal and systemic diseases. Since connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is a potent mitogen for fibrosis, extracellular matrix production, and angiogenesis, we have studied the effects and mechanism by which vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) regulates CTGF gene expression in retinal capillary cells. In our study, VEGF increased CTGF mRNA levels in a time- and concentration-dependent manner in bovine retinal endothelial cells and pericytes, without the need of new protein synthesis and without altering mRNA stability. VEGF activated the tyrosine receptor phosphorylation of KDR and Flt1 and increased the binding of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-kinase) p85 subunit to KDR and Flt1, both of which could mediate CTGF gene induction. VEGF-induced CTGF expression was mediated primarily by PI3-kinase activation, whereas PKC and ERK pathways made only minimal contributions. Furthermore, overexpression of constitutive active Akt was sufficient to induce CTGF gene expression, and inhibition of Akt activation by overexpressing dominant negative mutant of Akt abolished the VEGF-induced CTGF expression. These data suggest that VEGF can increase CTGF gene expression in bovine retinal capillary cells via KDR or Flt receptors and the activation of PI3-kinase-Akt pathway independently of PKC or Ras-ERK pathway, possibly inducing the fibrosis observed in retinal neovascular diseases.     

Phosphorylation of tyrosine 801 of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 is necessary for Akt-dependent endothelial nitric-oxide synthase activation and nitric oxide release from endothelial cells

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-stimulated nitric oxide (NO) release from endothelial cells is mediated through the activation of VEGF receptor-2 (VEGFR-2). Herein, we have attempted to determine which autophosphorylated tyrosine residue on the VEGFR-2 is essential for VEGF-mediated endothelial nitric-oxide synthase (eNOS) activation and NO production from endothelial cells. Tyrosine residues 801, 1175, and 1214 of the VEGFR-2 were mutated to phenylalanine, and the mutated receptors were analyzed for their ability to stimulate NO production. We show, both in COS-7 cells cotransfected with the VEGFR-2 mutants and eNOS and in bovine aortic endothelial cells, that the Y801F-VEGFR-2 mutant is unable to stimulate NO synthesis and eNOS activation in contrast to the wild type, Y1175F-VEGFR-2, and Y1214F-VEGFR-2. However, the Y801F mutant retains the capacity to activate phospholipase C-gamma in contrast to the Y1175F-VEGFR-2. Interestingly, the Y801F-VEGFR-2, in contrast to the wild type receptor, does not fully activate phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase or recruit the p85 subunit upon receptor activation. This results in a complete incapacity of the Y801F-VEGFR-2 to stimulate Akt activation and eNOS phosphorylation on serine 1179 in endothelial cells. In addition, constitutive activation of Akt or a phosphomimetic mutant of eNOS (S1179D) fully rescues the inability of the Y801F-VEGFR-2 to induce NO release. Finally, we generated an antibody that specifically recognizes the phosphorylated form of tyrosine 801 of the VEGFR-2 and demonstrate that this residue is actively phosphorylated in response to VEGF stimulation of endothelial cells. We thus conclude that autophosphorylation of tyrosine residue 801 of the VEGFR-2 is essential for VEGF-stimulated NO production from endothelial cells, and this is primarily accomplished via the activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and Akt signaling to eNOS.     

Vascular endothelial growth factor acts through novel, pregnancy-enhanced receptor signalling pathways to stimulate endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity in uterine artery endothelial cells

During pregnancy, VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) regulates in part endothelial angiogenesis and vasodilation. In the present study we examine the relative roles of VEGFRs (VEGF receptors) and associated signalling pathways mediating the effects of VEGF(165) on eNOS (endothelial nitric oxide synthase) activation. Despite equal expression levels of VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2 in UAECs (uterine artery endothelial cells) from NP (non-pregnant) and P (pregnant) sheep, VEGF(165) activates eNOS at a greater level in P- compared with NP-UAEC, independently of Akt activation. The selective VEGFR-1 agonist PlGF (placental growth factor)-1 elicits only a modest activation of eNOS in P-UAECs compared with VEGF(165), whereas the VEGFR-2 kinase inhibitor blocks VEGF(165)-stimulated eNOS activation, suggesting VEGF(165) predominantly activates eNOS via VEGFR-2. Although VEGF(165) also activates ERK (extracellular-signal-regulated kinase)-1/2, this is not necessary for eNOS activation since U0126 blocks ERK-1/2 phosphorylation, but not eNOS activation, and the VEGFR-2 kinase inhibitor inhibits eNOS activation, but not ERK-1/2 phosphorylation. Furthermore, the inability of PlGF to activate ERK-1/2 and the ability of the VEGFR-2 selective agonist VEGF-E to activate ERK-1/2 and eNOS suggests again that both eNOS and ERK-1/2 activation occur predominantly via VEGFR-2. The lack of VEGF(165)-stimulated Akt phosphorylation is consistent with a lack of robust phosphorylation of Ser(1179)-eNOS. Although VEGF(165)-stimulated eNOS phosphorylation is observed at Ser(617) and Ser(635), pregnancy does not significantly alter this response. Our finding that VEGF(165) activation of eNOS is completely inhibited by wortmannin but not LY294002 implies a downstream kinase, possibly a wortmannin-selective PI3K (phosphoinositide 3-kinase), is acting between the VEGFR-2 and eNOS independently of Akt.     

Analysis of biological effects and signaling properties of Flt-1 (VEGFR-1) and KDR (VEGFR-2). A reassessment using novel receptor-specific vascular endothelial growth factor mutants

Endothelial cells express two related vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor tyrosine kinases, KDR (kinase-insert domain containing receptor, or VEGFR-2) and Flt-1 (fms-like tyrosine kinase, or VEGFR-1). Although considerable experimental evidence links KDR activation to endothelial cell mitogenesis, there is still significant uncertainty concerning the role of individual VEGF receptors for other biological effects such as vascular permeability. VEGF mutants that bind to either KDR or Flt-1 with high selectivity were used to determine which of the two receptors serves to mediate different VEGF functions. In addition to mediating mitogenic signaling, selective KDR activation was sufficient for the activation of intracellular signaling pathways implicated in cell migration. KDR stimulation caused tyrosine phosphorylation of both phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and phospholipase Cgamma in primary endothelial cells and stimulated cell migration. KDR-selective VEGF was also able to induce angiogenesis in the rat cornea to an extent indistinguishable from wild type VEGF. We also demonstrate that KDR, but not Flt-1, stimulation is responsible for the induction of vascular permeability by VEGF.     

Vascular endothelial growth factor governs endothelial nitric-oxide synthase expression via a KDR/Flk-1 receptor and a protein kinase C signaling pathway.

The mechanism by which vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) regulates endothelial nitric-oxide synthase (eNOS) expression is presently unclear. Here we report that VEGF treatment of bovine adrenal cortex endothelial cells resulted in a 5-fold increase in both eNOS protein and activity. Endothelial NOS expression was maximal following 2 days of constant VEGF exposure (500 pM) and declined to base-line levels by day 5. The elevated eNOS protein level was sustained over the time course if VEGF was co-incubated with L-N(G)-nitroarginine methyl ester, a competitive eNOS inhibitor. Addition of S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine, a nitric oxide donor, prevented VEGF-induced eNOS up-regulation. These data suggest that nitric oxide participates in a negative feedback mechanism regulating eNOS expression. Various approaches were used to investigate the role of the two high affinity VEGF receptors in eNOS up-regulation. A KDR receptor-selective mutant increased eNOS expression, whereas an Flt-1 receptor-selective mutant did not. Furthermore, VEGF treatment increased eNOS expression in a KDR but not in an Flt-1 receptor-transfected porcine aorta endothelial cell line. SU1498, a selective inhibitor of the KDR receptor tyrosine kinase, blocked eNOS up-regulation, thus providing further evidence that the KDR receptor signals for eNOS up-regulation. Finally, treatment of adrenal cortex endothelial cells with VEGF or phorbol ester resulted in protein kinase C activation and elevated eNOS expression, whereas inhibition of protein kinase C with isoform-specific inhibitors abolished VEGF-induced eNOS up-regulation. Taken together, these data demonstrate that VEGF increases eNOS expression via activation of the KDR receptor tyrosine kinase and a downstream protein kinase C signaling pathway.     

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase modulates vascular endothelial growth factor-mediated angiogenesis

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), the first enzyme of the pentose phosphate pathway, is the principal intracellular source of NADPH. NADPH is utilized as a cofactor by vascular endothelial cell nitric-oxide synthase (eNOS) to generate nitric oxide (NO*). To determine whether G6PD modulates NO*-mediated angiogenesis, we decreased G6PD expression in bovine aortic endothelial cells using an antisense oligodeoxynucleotide to G6PD or increased G6PD expression by adenoviral gene transfer, and we examined vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-stimulated endothelial cell proliferation, migration, and capillary-like tube formation. Deficient G6PD activity was associated with a significant decrease in endothelial cell proliferation, migration, and tube formation, whereas increased G6PD activity promoted these processes. VEGF-stimulated eNOS activity and NO* production were decreased significantly in endothelial cells with deficient G6PD activity and enhanced in G6PD-overexpressing cells. In addition, G6PD-deficient cells demonstrated decreased tyrosine phosphorylation of the VEGF receptor Flk-1/KDR, Akt, and eNOS compared with cells with normal G6PD activity, whereas overexpression of G6PD enhanced phosphorylation of Flk-1/KDR, Akt, and eNOS. In the Pretsch mouse, a murine model of G6PD deficiency, vessel outgrowth from thoracic aorta segments was impaired compared with C3H wild-type mice. In an in vivo Matrigel angiogenesis assay, cell migration into the plugs was inhibited significantly in G6PD-deficient mice compared with wild-type mice, and gene transfer of G6PD restored the wild-type phenotype in G6PD-deficient mice. These findings demonstrate that G6PD modulates angiogenesis and may represent a novel angiogenic regulator.     

Endostatin blocks vascular endothelial growth factor-mediated signaling via direct interaction with KDR/Flk-1

Endostatin, a fragment of collagen XVIII, is a potent anti-angiogenic protein, but the molecular mechanism of its action is not yet clear. We examined the effects of endostatin on the biological and biochemical activities of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Endostatin blocked VEGF-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of KDR/Flk-1 and activation of ERK, p38 MAPK, and p125(FAK) in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Endostatin also inhibited the binding of VEGF(165) to both endothelial cells and purified extracellular domain of KDR/Flk-1. Moreover, the binding of VEGF(121) to KDR/Flk-1 and VEGF(121)-stimulated ERK activation were blocked by endostatin. The direct interaction between endostatin and KDR/Flk-1 was confirmed by affinity chromatography. However, endostatin did not bind to VEGF. Our findings suggest that a direct interaction of endostatin with KDR/Flk-1 may be involved in the inhibitory function of endostatin toward VEGF actions and responsible for its potent anti-angiogenic and anti-tumor activities in vivo.     

Sphingosine 1-phosphate activates Akt, nitric oxide production, and chemotaxis through a Gi protein/phosphoinositide 3-kinase pathway in endothelial cells

Sphingosine 1-phosphate (SPP) binds to members of the endothelial differentiation gene family (EDG) of receptors and leads to diverse signaling events including cell survival, growth, migration and differentiation. However, the mechanisms of how SPP activates these proangiogenic pathways are poorly understood. Here we show that SPP signals through the EDG-1 receptor to the heterotrimeric G protein G(i), leading to activation of the serine/threonine kinase Akt and phosphorylation of the Akt substrate, endothelial nitric-oxide synthase (eNOS). Inhibition of G(i) signaling, and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) activity resulted in a decrease in SPP-induced endothelial cell chemotaxis. SPP also stimulates eNOS phosphorylation and NO release and these effects are also attenuated by inhibition of G(i) signaling, PI 3-kinase, and Akt. However, inhibition of NO production did not influence SPP-induced chemotaxis but effectively blocked the chemotactic actions of vascular endothelial growth factor. Thus, SPP signals through G(i) and PI 3-kinase leading to Akt activation and eNOS phosphorylation.     

Lysophosphatidic acid and receptor-mediated activation of endothelial nitric-oxide synthase

Both lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) and sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) are platelet-derived phospholipids that elicit diverse biological responses. In endothelial cells, S1P stimulates the EDG-1 receptor-mediated activation of the endothelial isoform of nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), but the role of LPA in eNOS regulation is less well understood. We now report that LPA treatment of bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC) activates eNOS enzyme activity in a pathway that involves phosphorylation of eNOS on serine 1179 by protein kinase Akt. In contrast to the cellular responses elicited by S1P in COS-7 cells, LPA can stimulate the activation of eNOS and Akt independently of EDG-1 receptor transfection. LPA-stimulated enzyme activation was significantly attenuated in an eNOS mutant lacking the site that is phosphorylated by kinase Akt (eNOS S1179A). In BAEC, activation of eNOS by LPA is completely blocked by pertussis toxin, by the intracellular calcium chelator BAPTA (1,2-bis(aminophenoxy) ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid), and by the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3-K) inhibitor wortmannin, but is unaffected by U0126, an inhibitor of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase pathways. Analysis of the LPA dose response for eNOS activation reveals an EC(50) of approximately 40 nM, a concentration well below the potency of LPA at the EDG-1 receptor. Taken together, these results indicate that LPA potently activates eNOS in BAEC in a pathway distinct from the EDG-1 receptor, but mediated by a similar receptor-mediated pathway dependent on pertussis toxin-sensitive G proteins and involving activation of the PI3-K/Akt pathway. These studies have identified a role for the phospholipid LPA in eNOS activation, and point out the complementary role of distinct platelet-derived lipids in endothelial signaling pathways.     

Utilization of distinct signaling pathways by receptors for vascular endothelial cell growth factor and other mitogens in the induction of endothelial cell proliferation

This study was initiated to identify signaling proteins used by the receptors for vascular endothelial cell growth factor KDR/Flk1, and Flt1. Two-hybrid cloning and immunoprecipitation from human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) showed that KDR binds to and promotes the tyrosine phosphorylation of phospholipase Cgamma (PLCgamma). Neither placental growth factor, which activates Flt1, epidermal growth factor (EGF), or fibroblast growth factor (FGF) induced tyrosine phosphorylation of PLCgamma, indicating that KDR is uniquely important to PLCgamma activation in HUVEC. By signaling through KDR, VEGF promoted the tyrosine phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase, induced activation of Akt, protein kinase Cepsilon (PKCepsilon), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and promoted thymidine incorporation into DNA. VEGF activates PLCgamma, PKCepsilon, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase independently of one another. MEK, PLCgamma, and to a lesser extent PKC, are in the pathway through which KDR activates MAPK. PLCgamma or PKC inhibitors did not affect FGF- or EGF-mediated MAPK activation. MAPK/ERK kinase inhibition diminished VEGF-, FGF-, and EGF-promoted thymidine incorporation into DNA. However, blockade of PKC diminished thymidine incorporation into DNA induced by VEGF but not FGF or EGF. Signaling through KDR/Flk1 activates signaling pathways not utilized by other mitogens to induce proliferation of HUVEC.     

Rac1 modulates sphingosine 1-phosphate-mediated activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt signaling pathways in vascular endothelial cells

Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) is a platelet-derived sphingolipid that activates G protein-coupled S1P receptors and initiates a broad range of responses in vascular endothelial cells. The small GTPase Rac1 is implicated in diverse S1P-modulated cellular responses in endothelial cells, yet the molecular mechanisms involved in S1P-mediated Rac1 activation are incompletely understood. We studied the pathways involved in S1P-mediated Rac1 activation in bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC) and found that S1P-induced Rac1 activation is impaired following chelation of G protein betagamma subunits by transfection of betaARKct. Treatment with the Src tyrosine kinase inhibitor PP2 completely attenuated S1P-mediated Rac1 activation; however, pretreatment of BAEC with wortmannin, an inhibitor of phosphoinositide (PI) 3-kinase, had no effect on Rac1 activation while completely blocking S1P-induced Akt phosphorylation. We used Rac1-specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) duplexes to "knock down" endogenous Rac1 expression and found that siRNA-mediated Rac1 knockdown significantly impaired basal as well as S1P-induced phosphorylation of protein kinase Akt, as well as several downstream targets of Akt including endothelial nitric-oxide synthase and glycogen synthase kinase 3beta. By contrast, S1P-induced phosphorylation of the mitogen-activated protein kinases ERK1/2 was unperturbed by siRNA-mediated Rac1 knockdown. We found that overexpression of the Rac1 guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) Tiam1 markedly enhanced Rac1 activity, whereas a dominant negative Tiam1 mutant significantly attenuated S1P-mediated Rac1 activation. Taken together, these studies identify G protein betagamma subunits, Src kinase and the GEF Tiam1 as upstream modulators of S1P-mediated Rac1 activation, and establish a central role for Rac1 in S1P-mediated activation of PI 3-kinase/Akt/endothelial nitric-oxide synthase signaling in vascular endothelial cells.     

Nitric oxide production and regulation of endothelial nitric-oxide synthase phosphorylation by prolonged treatment with troglitazone: evidence for involvement of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) gamma-dependent and PPARgamma-independent signaling pathways

Recently, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) ligands have been reported to increase endothelial NO, but the signaling mechanisms involved are unknown. Using troglitazone, a PPARgamma ligand known as an antidiabetic compound, we investigated the molecular mechanism of its effect on NO production in bovine aortic endothelial cells. Troglitazone increased endothelial NO production in a dose- and time-dependent manner with no alteration in endothelial nitric-oxide synthase (eNOS) expression. The maximal increase ( approximately 3.1-fold) was achieved with 20 microm troglitazone treatment for 12 h, and this increase was accompanied by increases in the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptor, KDR/Flk-1, and in Akt phosphorylation. Analysis with antibodies specific for each phosphorylated site demonstrated that troglitazone (20 microm treatment for 12 h) significantly increased both the phosphorylation of Ser(1179) of eNOS (eNOS-Ser(1179)) and the dephosphorylation of eNOS-Ser(116) but did not alter eNOS-Thr(497) phosphorylation. Treatment with anti-VEGF antibody to scavenge the increased VEGF induced by troglitazone partially inhibited troglitazone-stimulated NO production. This was accompanied by the attenuation of troglitazone-stimulated increases in the phosphorylation of Akt and eNOS-Ser(1179) with no alteration in eNOS-Ser(116) dephosphorylation. We also found that bisphenol A diglycidyl ether, a PPARgamma antagonist, partially inhibited troglitazone-stimulated NO production with a concomitant reduction in VEGF-KDR/Flk-1-Akt-mediated eNOS-Ser(1179) phosphorylation but with no alteration in eNOS-Ser(116) dephosphorylation induced by troglitazone. Taken together, our results demonstrate that prolonged treatment with troglitazone increases endothelial NO production by at least two independent signaling pathways: PPARgamma-dependent, VEGF-KDR/Flk-1-Akt-mediated eNOS-Ser(1179) phosphorylation and PPARgamma-independent, eNOS-Ser(116) dephosphorylation.