Nitric oxide is implicated in a variety of signaling pathways in different systems, notably in endothelial cells. Some of its effects can be exerted through covalent modifications of proteins and, among these modifications, increasing attention is being paid to S-nitrosylation as a signaling mechanism. In this work, we show by a variety of methods (ozone chemiluminescence, biotin switch, and mass spectrometry) that the molecular chaperone Hsp90 is a target of S-nitrosylation and identify a susceptible cysteine residue in the region of the C-terminal domain that interacts with endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS). We also show that the modification occurs in endothelial cells when they are treated with S-nitroso-L-cysteine and when they are exposed to eNOS activators. Hsp90 ATPase activity and its positive effect on eNOS activity are both inhibited by S-nitrosylation. Together, these data suggest that S-nitrosylation may functionally regulate the general activities of Hsp90 and provide a feedback mechanism for limiting eNOS activation.atherosclerosis ͉ nitrosation ͉ vascular wall ͉ chaperone R ecent years have witnessed an increasing interest in the roles of nitric oxide (NO) in signal transduction pathways other than its activation of the cGMP pathway. Many of these roles rely on NO's ability to alter protein function through posttranslational modifications. Among these modifications, S-nitrosylation has emerged as a potential and fundamental regulator of protein function. S-nitrosylation is a covalent modification of thiol groups by formation of a thionitrite (-S-NϭO) group, facilitated by the formation of higher nitrogen oxides (1, 2). To date, several dozens of proteins have been shown to become S-nitrosylated and, in many cases, this modification was accompanied by altered function (see table S1 of ref. 1 for review).Nitric oxide, synthesized in the endothelium by endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), plays crucial roles in the vascular wall, including the maintenance of vascular tone. The possibility that NO might modify eNOS, or elements of the complex system involved in its activation, is an attractive hypothesis, suggesting a potential autoregulatory feedback mechanism. The eNOS enzyme is regulated by several posttranslational modifications including myristoylation, palmitoylation, and phosphorylation (3). This enzyme is also tightly regulated by specific interactions with inhibitory proteins such as caveolin-1 and by positive modulation by the scaffolding protein Hsp90. These interactions have been described in detail, and a relatively complete picture is beginning to emerge (4).We have previously used a proteomic approach to identify several proteins that were S-nitrosylated after exposure of vascular endothelial cells to the physiological nitrosothiol, Snitroso-L-cysteine (CSNO) (5). Further work led to the identification of Hsp90 as a protein susceptible to S-nitrosylation. This chaperone protein, known for its functions in protein folding, degradation, and scaffolding, has attracted renewed ...

Our results unveil a novel inhibitory role for DLK1 in the regulation of angiogenesis, mediated by antagonism of the NOTCH pathway, and establish the basis for investigating its action in pathological settings.

No abstract

Endothelial activation contributes to lung inflammatory disorders by inducing leucocyte recruitment to pulmonary parenchyma. Consequently, vascular-targeted therapies constitute promising strategies for the treatment of inflammatory pathologies. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of 8,9-dehydrohispanolone-15,16-lactol diterpene (DT) on lung endothelium during inflammation. Lung endothelial cells pre-treated with DT and activated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) exhibited reduced expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokines Cxcl10, Ccl5 and Cxcl1, whereas the anti-inflammatory molecules IL1r2 and IL-10 were induced. Consistent with this result, DT pre-treatment inhibited nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) nuclear translocation, by interfering with IκBα phosphorylation, and consequently NF-κB transcriptional activity in endothelium activated by LPS or TNF-α. Furthermore, DT, probably through p38 signalling, induced transcriptional activation of genes containing activator protein 1 (AP-1)-binding elements. Inhibition of p38 prevented IL1r2 mRNA expression in endothelium incubated with DT alone or in combination with LPS or TNF-α. Accordingly, conditioned medium (CM) from these cells failed to stimulate leucocytes as measured by a reduction in adhesive ability of the leucocyte cell line J774 to fibronectin (FN). Additionally, DT reduced the expression of the endothelial adhesion molecules E-selectin, vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1) and intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) after activation. Similarly, expression of VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 molecules on the lung endothelial layer of C57/BL6 mice pre-treated with DT and challenged with LPS were unchanged. Finally, inhibition of vascular adhesion molecule expression by DT decreased the interaction of J774 cells with lung endothelial cells in an inflammatory environment. Our findings establish DT as a novel endothelial inhibitor for the treatment of inflammatory-related diseases triggered by Gram-negative bacteria or by the associated cytokine TNF-α.

Tumor microenvironment has been described to play a key role in tumor growth, progression, and metastasis. Macrophages are a major cellular constituent of the tumor stroma, and particularly tumor associated macrophages (TAMs or M2-like macrophages) exert important immunosuppressive activity and a pro-tumoral role within the tumor microenvironment. Alternative-reading frame (ARF) gene is widely inactivated in human cancer. We have previously demonstrated that ARF deficiency severely impairs inflammatory response establishing a new role for ARF in the regulation of innate immunity. On the basis of these observations, we hypothesized that ARF may also regulates tumor growth through recruitment and modulation of the macrophage phenotype in the tumor microenvironment. Xenograft assays of B16F10 melanoma cells into ARF-deficient mice resulted in increased tumor growth compared to those implanted in WT control mice. Tumors from ARF-deficient mice exhibited significantly increased number of TAMs as well as microvascular density. Transwell assays showed crosstalk between tumor cells and macrophages. On the one hand, ARF-deficient macrophages modulate migratory ability of the tumor cells. And on the other, tumor cells promote the skewing of ARF−/− macrophages toward a M2-type polarization. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that ARF deficiency facilitates the infiltration of macrophages into the tumor mass and favors their polarization towards a M2 phenotype, thus promoting tumor angiogenesis and tumor growth. This work provides novel information about the critical role of ARF in the modulation of tumor microenvironment.

No abstract

The endothelial layer is essential for maintaining homeostasis in the body by controlling many different functions. Regulation of the inflammatory response by the endothelial layer is crucial to efficiently fight against harmful inputs and aid in the recovery of damaged areas. When the endothelial cells are exposed to an inflammatory environment, such as the outer component of gram-negative bacteria membrane, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), they express soluble pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as Ccl5, Cxcl1 and Cxcl10, and trigger the activation of circulating leukocytes. In addition, the expression of adhesion molecules E-selectin, VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 on the endothelial surface enables the interaction and adhesion of the activated leukocytes to the endothelial layer, and eventually the extravasation towards the inflamed tissue. In this scenario, the endothelial function must be tightly regulated because excessive or defective activation in the leukocyte recruitment could lead to inflammatory-related disorders. Since many of these disorders do not have an effective treatment, novel strategies with a focus on the vascular layer must be investigated. We propose comprehensive assays that are useful to the search of novel endothelial regulators that modify leukocyte function. We analyze endothelial activation by using specific expression targets involved in leukocyte recruitment (such as, cytokines, chemokines, and adhesion molecules) with several techniques, including: real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), western-blot, flow cytometry and adhesion assays. These approaches determine endothelial function in the inflammatory context and are very useful to perform screening assays to characterize novel endothelial inflammatory regulators that are potentially valuable for designing new therapeutic strategies.

The endothelial layer is essential for maintaining homeostasis in the body by controlling many different functions. Regulation of the inflammatory response by the endothelial layer is crucial to efficiently fight against harmful inputs and aid in the recovery of damaged areas. When the endothelial cells are exposed to an inflammatory environment, such as the outer component of gram-negative bacteria membrane, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), they express soluble pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as Ccl5, Cxcl1 and Cxcl10, and trigger the activation of circulating leukocytes. In addition, the expression of adhesion molecules E-selectin, VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 on the endothelial surface enables the interaction and adhesion of the activated leukocytes to the endothelial layer, and eventually the extravasation towards the inflamed tissue. In this scenario, the endothelial function must be tightly regulated because excessive or defective activation in the leukocyte recruitment could lead to inflammatory-related disorders. Since many of these disorders do not have an effective treatment, novel strategies with a focus on the vascular layer must be investigated. We propose comprehensive assays that are useful to the search of novel endothelial regulators that modify leukocyte function. We analyze endothelial activation by using specific expression targets involved in leukocyte recruitment (such as, cytokines, chemokines, and adhesion molecules) with several techniques, including: real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), westernblot, flow cytometry and adhesion assays. These approaches determine endothelial function in the inflammatory context and are very useful to perform screening assays to characterize novel endothelial inflammatory regulators that are potentially valuable for designing new therapeutic strategies.