Inflammatory mediators increase vascular permeability primarily by formation of intercellular gaps between endothelial cells of post-capillary venules. Under these conditions, endothelial cell-cell contacts such as adherens and tight junctions open to allow paracellular fluid passage. Small guanosine triphosphatases (GTPases) from the ras superfamily, primarily Rho GTPases (RhoA, Rac1, Cdc42) or Rap1 are known to regulate cell adhesion, in part by reorganization of the junction-associated cortical actin cytoskeleton. In this review, we will discuss the role of small GTPases for the maintenance of microvascular barrier functions under resting conditions as well as under conditions of increased permeability and their involvement in signalling pathways downstream of both barrier-stabilizing and inflammatory mediators. Rac1 and Cdc42 are the main GTPases required for barrier maintenance and stabilization, whereas RhoA negatively regulates barrier properties under both resting and inflammatory conditions. For Rac1 and RhoA, contrary functions under certain conditions have also been described. However, Rac1-mediated barrier destabilization in microvascular endothelium appears to be largely restricted to conditions of enhanced endothelial cell migration and thus to be more closely related to angiogenesis rather than to inflammation. Recent studies revealed that cAMP signalling, which is well known to be barrier protective, enhances barrier functions in part via Rap1-mediated activation of Rac1 and Cdc42 as well as by inhibition of RhoA. Moreover, barrier-stabilizing mediators directly activate Rac1 and Cdc42 or increase cAMP levels. On the other hand, several barrier-disruptive components appear to increase permeability by reduced formation of cAMP, leading to both inactivation of Rac1 and activation of RhoA.

Proteins of the Enabled/vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (Ena/VASP) family link signal transduction pathways to actin cytoskeleton dynamics. VASP is substrate of cAMP-dependent, cGMP-dependent and AMP-activated protein kinases that primarily phosphorylate the sites S157, S239 and T278, respectively. Here, we systematically analyzed functions of VASP phosphorylation patterns for actin assembly and subcellular targeting in vivo and compared the phosphorylation effects of Ena/VASP family members. Methods used were the reconstitution of VASP-null cells with `locked' phosphomimetic VASP mutants, actin polymerization of VASP mutants in vitro and in living cells, site-specific kinase-mediated VASP phosphorylation, and analysis of the endogenous protein with phosphorylation-status-specific antibodies. Phosphorylation at S157 influenced VASP localization, but had a minor impact on F-actin assembly. Phosphorylation of the S157-equivalent site in the Ena/VASP family members Mena and EVL had no effect on the ratio of cellular F-actin to G-actin. By contrast, VASP phosphorylation at S239 (and the equivalent site in Mena) or T278 impaired VASP-driven actin filament formation. The data show that VASP functions are precisely regulated by differential phosphorylation and provide new insights into cytoskeletal control by serine/threonine kinase-dependent signaling pathways.

The endothelial barrier consists of intercellular contacts localized in the cleft between endothelial cells, which is covered by the glycocalyx in a sievelike manner. Both types of barrier-forming junctions, i.e. the adherens junction (AJ) serving mechanical anchorage and mechanotransduction and the tight junction (TJ) sealing the intercellular space to limit paracellular permeability, are tethered to the actin cytoskeleton. Under resting conditions, the endothelium thereby builds a selective layer controlling the exchange of fluid and solutes with the surrounding tissue. However, in the situation of an inflammatory response such as in anaphylaxis or sepsis intercellular contacts disintegrate in post-capillary venules leading to intercellular gap formation. The resulting oedema can cause shock and multi-organ failure. Therefore, maintenance as well as coordinated opening and closure of interendothelial junctions is tightly regulated. The two principle underlying mechanisms comprise spatiotemporal activity control of the small GTPases Rac1 and RhoA and the balance of the phosphorylation state of AJ proteins. In the resting state, junctional Rac1 and RhoA activity is enhanced by junctional components, actin-binding proteins, cAMP signalling and extracellular cues such as sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) and angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1). In addition, phosphorylation of AJ components is prevented by junction-associated phosphatases including vascular endothelial protein tyrosine phosphatase (VE-PTP). In contrast, inflammatory mediators inhibiting cAMP/Rac1 signalling cause strong activation of RhoA and induce AJ phosphorylation finally leading to endocytosis and cleavage of VE-cadherin. This results in dissolution of TJs the outcome of which is endothelial barrier breakdown.

Desmosomes are patch-like intercellular adhering junctions ("maculae adherentes"), which, in concert with the related adherens junctions, provide the mechanical strength to intercellular adhesion. Therefore, it is not surprising that desmosomes are abundant in tissues subjected to signiWcant mechanical stress such as stratiWed epithelia and myocardium. Desmosomal adhesion is based on the Ca 2+ -dependent, homo-and heterophilic transinteraction of cadherin-type adhesion molecules. Desmosomal cadherins are anchored to the intermediate Wlament cytoskeleton by adaptor proteins of the armadillo and plakin families. Desmosomes are dynamic structures subjected to regulation and are therefore targets of signalling pathways, which control their molecular composition and adhesive properties. Moreover, evidence is emerging that desmosomal components themselves take part in outside-in signalling under physiologic and pathologic conditions. Disturbed desmosomal adhesion contributes to the pathogenesis of a number of diseases such as pemphigus, which is caused by autoantibodies against desmosomal cadherins. Beside pemphigus, desmosome-associated diseases are caused by other mechanisms such as genetic defects or bacterial toxins. Because most of these diseases aVect the skin, desmosomes are interesting not only for cell biologists who are inspired by their complex structure and molecular composition, but also for clinical physicians who are confronted with patients suVering from severe blistering skin diseases such as pemphigus. To develop disease-speciWc therapeutic approaches, more insights into the molecular composition and regulation of desmosomes are required.

Autoantibodies against the epidermal desmosomal cadherins desmoglein 1 (Dsg1) and Dsg3 have been shown to cause severe to lethal skin blistering clinically defined as pemphigus foliaceus (PF) and pemphigus vulgaris (PV). It is unknown whether antibody-induced dissociation of keratinocytes is caused by direct inhibition of Dsg1 transinteraction or by secondary cellular responses. Here we show in an in vitro system that IgGs purified from PF patient sera caused cellular dissociation of cultured human keratinocytes as well as significant release of Dsg1-coated microbeads attached to Dsg-containing sites on the keratinocyte cellular surface. However, cell dissociation and bead release induced by PF-IgGs was not caused by direct steric hindrance of Dsg1 transinteraction, as demonstrated by single molecule atomic force measurements and by laser trapping of surface-bound Dsg1-coated microbeads. Rather, our experiments strongly indicate that PF-IgG-mediated dissociation events must involve autoantibody-triggered cellular signaling pathways, resulting in destabilization of Dsg1-based adhesive sites and desmosomes. IntroductionIt is well established that skin blistering in patients suffering from pemphigus vulgaris (PV) and pemphigus foliaceus (PF) is caused by formation of antibodies against the desmosomal cadherin family members desmoglein 1 (Dsg1) and Dsg3, respectively (1-4). Dsgs are linked to the keratinocyte intermediate filament cytoskeleton by several adaptor proteins located in the desmosomal plaque, including plakoglobin (5, 6). It has been proposed that antibody-induced steric hindrance of Dsg transcellular binding (transinteraction) is the major pathogenic mechanism responsible for cellular dissociation and pemphigus development (7,8). However, other mechanisms, including antibody-induced activation of extracellular proteolysis, phosphorylation of Dsgs, and activation of protein kinase C followed by plakoglobin dislocation and subsequent depletion of Dsgs from desmosomes, appear to be important for pemphigus pathogenesis (9-13). To address this question of direct inhibitory action of antibodies on desmosomal adhesion versus antibody-induced intracellular signaling pathways involved in cellular dissociation, we used single molecule-based micromechanical approaches, i.e., laser tweezers and atomic force microscopy (AFM). These approaches, which have been used in our laboratory to characterize binding properties and regulatory mechanisms of vascular endothelial cadherin (VE-cadherin) and neuronal cadherin (N-cadherin) (14-19), allowed us, for what we believe is the first time, to discriminate between direct and indirect effects of antibodies on Dsg-based intercellular adhesion.