No abstract

Vascular permeability is a hallmark of several disease states including acute lung injury (ALI). Endocytosis of VE-cadherin, away from the interendothelial junction (IEJ), causes acute endothelial barrier permeability. A novel protein, p18, anchors to the endosome membrane and plays a role in late endosomal signaling via MAPK and mammalian target of rapamycin. However, the fate of the VE-cadherin-positive endosome has yet to be elucidated. We sought to elucidate a role for p18 in VE-cadherin trafficking and thus endothelial barrier function, in settings of ALI. Endothelial cell (EC) resistance, whole-cell ELISA, and filtration coefficient were studied in mice or lung ECs overexpressing wild-type or nonendosomal-binding mutant p18, using green fluorescent protein as a control. We demonstrate a protective role for the endocytic protein p18 in endothelial barrier function in settings of ALI in vitro and in vivo, through enhanced recycling of VE-cadherin-positive early endosomes to the IEJ. In settings of LPS-induced ALI, we show that Src tethered to the endosome tyrosine phosphorylates p18 concomitantly with VE-cadherin internalization and pulmonary edema formation. We conclude that p18 regulates pulmonary endothelial barrier function in vitro and in vivo, by enhancing recycling of VE-cadherin-positive endosomes to the IEJ.-Chichger, H., Duong, H., Braza, J., Harrington, E. O. p18, a novel adaptor protein, regulates pulmonary endothelial barrier function via enhanced endocytic recycling of VEcadherin. FASEB J. 29, 868-881 (2015). www.fasebj.org

A hallmark of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is pulmonary vascular permeability. In these settings, loss of barrier integrity is mediated by cell-contact disassembly and actin remodeling. Studies into molecular mechanisms responsible for improving microvascular barrier function are therefore vital in the development of therapeutic targets for reducing vascular permeability in ARDS. The sweet taste receptor T1R3 is a G protein-coupled receptor, activated following exposure to sweet molecules, to trigger a gustducin-dependent signal cascade. In recent years, extraoral locations for T1R3 have been identified; however, no studies have focused on T1R3 within the vasculature. We hypothesize that activation of T1R3, in the pulmonary vasculature, plays a role in regulating endothelial barrier function in settings of ARDS. Our study demonstrated expression of T1R3 within the pulmonary vasculature, with a drop in expression levels following exposure to barrier-disruptive agents. Exposure of lung microvascular endothelial cells to the intensely sweet molecule sucralose attenuated LPS- and thrombin-induced endothelial barrier dysfunction. Likewise, sucralose exposure attenuated bacteria-induced lung edema formation in vivo. Inhibition of sweet taste signaling, through zinc sulfate, T1R3, or G-protein siRNA, blunted the protective effects of sucralose on the endothelium. Sucralose significantly reduced LPS-induced increased expression or phosphorylation of the key signaling molecules Src, p21-activated kinase (PAK), myosin light chain-2 (MLC2), heat shock protein 27 (HSP27), and p110α phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (p110αPI3K). Activation of T1R3 by sucralose protects the pulmonary endothelium from edemagenic agent-induced barrier disruption, potentially through abrogation of Src/PAK/p110αPI3K-mediated cell-contact disassembly and Src/MLC2/HSP27-mediated actin remodeling. Identification of sweet taste sensing in the pulmonary vasculature may represent a novel therapeutic target to protect the endothelium in settings of ARDS.

The breakdown of the intestinal epithelial barrier and subsequent increase in intestinal permeability can lead to systemic inflammatory diseases and multiple-organ failure. Nutrition impacts the intestinal barrier, with dietary components such as gluten increasing permeability. Artificial sweeteners are increasingly consumed by the general public in a range of foods and drinks. The sweet taste receptor (T1R3) is activated by artificial sweeteners and has been identified in the intestine to play a role in incretin release and glucose transport; however, T1R3 has not been previously linked to intestinal permeability. Here, the intestinal epithelial cell line, Caco-2, was used to study the effect of commonly-consumed artificial sweeteners, sucralose, aspartame and saccharin, on permeability. At high concentrations, aspartame and saccharin were found to induce apoptosis and cell death in intestinal epithelial cells, while at low concentrations, sucralose and aspartame increased epithelial barrier permeability and down-regulated claudin 3 at the cell surface. T1R3 knockdown was found to attenuate these effects of artificial sweeteners. Aspartame induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production to cause permeability and claudin 3 internalization, while sweetener-induced permeability and oxidative stress was rescued by the overexpression of claudin 3. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that the artificial sweeteners sucralose, aspartame, and saccharin exert a range of negative effects on the intestinal epithelium through the sweet taste receptor T1R3.

One hallmark of acute lung injury is the disruption of the pulmonary endothelial barrier. Such disruption correlates with increased endothelial permeability, partly through the disruption of cell-cell contacts. Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) are known to affect the stability of both cell-extracellular matrix adhesions and intercellular adherens junctions (AJs). However, evidence for the role of select PTPs in regulating endothelial permeability is limited. Our investigations noted that the inhibition of PTP1B in cultured pulmonary endothelial cells (ECs), as well as in the vasculature of intact murine lungs via the transient overexpression of a catalytically inactive PTP1B, decreased the baseline resistance of cultured EC monolayers and increased the formation of edema in murine lungs, respectively. In addition, we observed that the overexpression of wild-type PTP1B enhanced basal barrier function in vitro. Immunohistochemical analyses of pulmonary ECs and the coimmunoprecipitation of murine lung homogenates demonstrated the association of PTP1B with the AJ proteins b-catenin, p120-catenin, and VE-cadherin both in vitro and ex vivo. Using LPS in a model of sepsis-induced acute lung injury, we showed that reactive oxygen species were generated in response to LPS, which correlated with enhanced PTP1B oxidation, inhibited phosphatase activity, and attenuation of the interactions between PTP1B and b-catenin, as well as enhanced b-catenin tyrosine phosphorylation. Finally, the overexpression of a cytosolic PTP1B fragment, shown to be resistant to nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-reduced oxidase-4 (Nox4)-mediated oxidation, significantly attenuated LPS-induced endothelial barrier dysfunction and the formation of lung edema, and preserved the associations of PTP1B with AJ protein components, independent of PTP1B phosphatase activity. We conclude that PTP1B plays an important role in maintaining the pulmonary endothelial barrier, and PTP1B oxidation appears to contribute to sepsis-induced pulmonary vascular dysfunction, possibly through the disruption of AJs.

Right ventricular (RV) dysfunction is associated with numerous smoking-related illnesses, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), in which it is present even in the absence of pulmonary hypertension. It is unknown whether exposure to cigarette smoke (CS) has direct effects on RV function and cardiac fibroblast (CF) proliferation or collagen synthesis. In this study, we evaluated cardiac function and fibrosis in mice exposed to CS and determined mechanisms of smoke-induced changes in CF signaling and fibrosis. AKR mice were exposed to CS for 6 wk followed by echocardiography and evaluation of cardiac hypertrophy, collagen content, and pulmonary muscularization. Proliferation and collagen content were evaluated in primary isolated rat CFs exposed to CS extract (CSE) or nicotine. Markers of cell proliferation, fibrosis, and proliferative signaling were determined by immunoblot or Sircol collagen assay. Mice exposed to CS had significantly decreased RV function, as determined by tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion. There were no changes in left ventricular parameters. RV collagen content was significantly elevated, but there was no change in RV hypertrophy or pulmonary vascular muscularization. CSE directly increased CF proliferation and collagen content in CF. Nicotine alone reproduced these effects. CSE and nicotine-induced fibroblast proliferation and collagen content were mediated through α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and were dependent on PKC-α, PKC-δ, and reduced p38-MAPK phosphorylation. CS and nicotine have direct effects on CFs to induce proliferation and fibrosis, which may negatively affect right heart function.

of acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome is characterized by sequestration of leukocytes in lung tissue, disruption of capillary integrity, and pulmonary edema. PKC␦ plays a critical role in RhoA-mediated endothelial barrier function and inflammatory responses. We used mice with genetic deletion of PKC␦ (PKC␦ Ϫ/Ϫ ) to assess the role of PKC␦ in susceptibility to LPS-induced lung injury and pulmonary edema. Under baseline conditions or in settings of increased capillary hydrostatic pressures, no differences were noted in the filtration coefficients (kf) or wet-to-dry weight ratios between PKC␦ ϩ/ϩ and PKC␦ Ϫ/Ϫ mice. However, at 24 h after exposure to LPS, the k f values were significantly higher in lungs isolated from PKC␦ ϩ/ϩ than PKC␦ Ϫ/Ϫ mice. In addition, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid obtained from LPS-exposed PKC␦ ϩ/ϩ mice displayed increased protein and cell content compared with LPS-exposed PKC␦ Ϫ/Ϫ mice, but similar changes in inflammatory cytokines were measured. Histology indicated elevated LPS-induced cellularity and inflammation within PKC␦ ϩ/ϩ mouse lung parenchyma relative to PKC␦ Ϫ/Ϫ mouse lungs. Transient overexpression of catalytically inactive PKC␦ cDNA in the endothelium significantly attenuated LPS-induced endothelial barrier dysfunction in vitro and increased kf lung values in PKC␦ ϩ/ϩ mice. However, transient overexpression of wild-type PKC␦ cDNA in PKC␦ Ϫ/Ϫ mouse lung vasculature did not alter the protective effects of PKC␦ deficiency against LPS-induced acute lung injury. We conclude that PKC␦ plays a role in the pathological progression of endotoxin-induced lung injury, likely mediated through modulation of inflammatory signaling and pulmonary vascular barrier function. endothelium; pulmonary edema; lipopolysaccharide; acute lung injury ACUTE RESPIRATORY DISTRESS syndrome (ARDS) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in sepsis and severe pneumonia (26). Transudation of vascular fluid and protein from the pulmonary capillary lumen into the interstitium and alveolar air spaces impairs gas exchange, decreases lung compliance, and initiates a cascade of inflammatory events that leads to respiratory failure. This cascade is often characterized by sequestration of leukocytes in lung tissues, intravascular coagulation, and disruption of capillary integrity, leading to pulmonary edema (4).The vascular endothelium is a critical target for an endotoxin such as LPS, an established inflammatory and edemagenic agent. Circulating levels of LPS are elevated in patients with severe pneumonia or sepsis and can be used as a predictor of the development of ARDS (14).PKC␦ plays an important role in the maintenance of the lung vascular barrier. We observed enhanced endothelial barrier function following PKC␦ overexpression in vitro, effects that were mediated through the RhoA-GTPase pathway (21). We further noted that chemical and molecular inhibition in vivo and in vitro results in pulmonary edema formation and endothelial barrier dysfunction through reduced RhoA-GTPasemediated disrup...

New Findings r What is the central question of this study?Although SGLT2 inhibitors represent a promising treatment for patients suffering from diabetic nephropathy, the influence of metabolic disruption on the expression and function of glucose transporters is largely unknown. r What is the main finding and its importance?In vivo models of metabolic disruption (Goto-Kakizaki type II diabetic rat and junk-food diet) demonstrate increased expression of SGLT1, SGLT2 and GLUT2 in the proximal tubule brush border. In the type II diabetic model, this is accompanied by increased SGLT-and GLUT-mediated glucose uptake. A fasted model of metabolic disruption (high-fat diet) demonstrated increased GLUT2 expression only. The differential alterations of glucose transporters in response to varying metabolic stress offer insight into the therapeutic value of inhibitors. SGLT2 inhibitors are now in clinical use to reduce hyperglycaemia in type II diabetes. However, renal glucose reabsorption across the brush border membrane (BBM) is not completely understood in diabetes. Increased consumption of a Western diet is strongly linked to type II diabetes. This study aimed to investigate the adaptations that occur in renal glucose transporters in response to experimental models of diet-induced insulin resistance. The study used Goto-Kakizaki type II diabetic rats and normal rats rendered insulin resistant using junk-food or high-fat diets. Levels of protein kinase C-βI (PKC-βI), GLUT2, SGLT1 and SGLT2 were determined by Western blotting of purified renal BBM. GLUT-and SGLT-mediated d-[3 H]glucose uptake by BBM vesicles was measured in the presence and absence of the SGLT inhibitor phlorizin. GLUT-and SGLT-mediated glucose transport was elevated in type II diabetic rats, accompanied by increased expression of GLUT2, its upstream regulator PKC-βI and SGLT1 protein. Junk-food and high-fat diet feeding also caused higher membrane expression of GLUT2 and its upstream regulator PKC-βI. However, the junk-food diet also increased SGLT1 and SGLT2 levels at the proximal tubule BBM. Glucose reabsorption across the proximal tubule BBM, via GLUT2, SGLT1 and SGLT2, is not solely dependent on glycaemic status, but is also influenced by