H2O2-induced filamin redistribution in endothelial cells is modulated by the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase pathway

Hypoxia/reoxygenation injury in vitro causes endothelial cell cytoskeletal rearrangement that is related to increased monolayer permeability. Nonmuscle filamin (ABP-280) promotes orthogonal branching of F-actin and links microfilaments to membrane glycoproteins. Human umbilical vein endothelial cell monolayers are exposed to H₂O₂ (100 μM) for 1–60 min, with or without modulators of cAMP-dependent second-messenger pathways, and evaluated for changes in filamin distribution, cAMP levels, and the formation of gaps at interendothelial junctions. Filamin translocates from the membrane-cytoskeletal interface to the cytosol within 1 min of exposure to H₂O₂. This is associated with a decrease in endothelial cell cAMP levels from 83 pmoles/mg protein to 15 pmoles/mg protein. Intercellular gaps form 15 min after H₂O₂ treatment and progressively increase in number and diameter through 60 min. Both filamin redistribution and actin redistribution are associated with decreased phosphorylation of filamin and are prevented by activation of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase pathway. A synthetic peptide corresponding to filamin's C-terminal, cAMP-dependent, protein kinase phosphorylation site effectively induces filamin translocation and intercellular gap formation, which suggests that decreased phosphorylation of filamin at this site causes filamin redistribution and destabilization of junctions. These data indicate that H₂O₂-induced filamin redistribution and interendothelial cell gap formation result from inhibition of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase pathway. J. Cell. Physiol. 172:373–381, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.