Effects of fibrin on the secretion of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 from endothelial cells and on protein kinase C

Endothelial cell activation by IL-1beta in the presence of fibrinogen requires alphavbeta3

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to investigate the receptor requirements for enhanced IL-1beta-induced secretion of nitric oxide (NO) by endothelial cells (ECs) in the presence of fibrinogen.

METHODS AND RESULTS

ECs were exposed to IL-1beta with or without fibrinogen and NO was measured as nitrite. NO production by EC exposed to fibrinogen (0.3+/-0.1 micromol/L) was comparable concentration to control (0.2+/-0.1 micromol/L), but IL-1beta significantly increased NO production (0.8+/-0.1 micromol/L), and the combination of both fibrinogen and IL-1beta resulted in a further increase to 2.2+/-0.2 micromol/L (P<0.002). 7E3 or LM609, antibodies to alphavbeta3, inhibited NO production stimulated by fibrinogen-bound IL-1beta to 0.2+/-0.1 micromol/L (P<0.001) or 0.2+/-0.03 micromol/L (P<0.0001), respectively. These levels were comparable to control and significantly less than with IL-1beta (P<0.002). EC or fibroblasts exposed to both fibrinogen and IL-1beta, but not vitronectin and IL-1beta, demonstrated positive Western blotting for alphavbeta3 after immunopurification with anti- IL-1R, indicating specific association between alphavbeta3 and IL-1R. Dual immunofluorescence also revealed colocalization of alphavbeta3 and IL-1R only when the cells were exposed to both fibrinogen and IL-1beta.

CONCLUSIONS

The enhanced NO production by ECs in the presence of fibrinogen-bound IL-1beta requires the coordinated effects of colocalized alphavbeta3 and IL-1R.

Stimulation of endothelial cell proliferation by FGF-2 in the presence of fibrinogen requires αvβ3

We have shown previously that fibrin(ogen) binding potentiates the capacity of fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) to stimulate endothelial cell (EC) proliferation. We have now investigated the receptor requirement for EC proliferation by fibrinogen-bound FGF-2. ECs were cultured with 25 ng/mL FGF-2 with or without 10 μg/mL fibrinogen, and proliferation was measured as 3H-thymidine incorporation. Proliferation was increased 2.4 ± 0.5-fold over medium alone with FGF-2 and increased significantly more to 4.0 ± 0.7-fold with fibrinogen and FGF-2 (P &lt; .005). Addition of 7E3 or LM609, antibodies to αvβ3, inhibited EC proliferation with fibrinogen-bound FGF-2 by 80% ± 8% (P &lt; .001) or 67% ± 14% (P &lt; .002), respectively, to levels significantly less than that observed with FGF-2 alone (P &lt; .001). Neither LM609 nor 7E3 exhibited any inhibition of activity with FGF-2 alone. Peptide GRGDS caused dose-dependent inhibition of proliferation by fibrinogen-bound FGF-2 of 31% ± 8%, 45% ± 9%, and 68% ± 11% at 0.25, 0.5, and 1 mM, respectively. Coimmunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence studies demonstrated a direct specific association between αvβ3 and FGF receptor 1 (FGFR1) in ECs and fibroblasts when exposed to both FGF-2 and fibrinogen but not with vitronectin. We conclude that fibrinogen binding of FGF-2 enhances EC proliferation through the coordinated effects of colocalized αvβ3 and FGFR1.

Interleukin-1beta but not IL-1alpha binds to fibrinogen and fibrin and has enhanced activity in the bound form

Fibrin is formed at sites of injury or inflammation and provides the temporary matrix to support vascular cell responses that are also mediated by cytokines including interleukin-1 (IL-1). We have shown previously that fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) binds with high affinity to fibrin(ogen). Because IL-1 has a structure similar to FGF-2, we have investigated the possible binding of IL-1 to fibrin(ogen). Experiments using IL-1 immobilized on Sepharose beads and soluble iodine 125 ((125)I)-labeled fibrinogen demonstrated no specific interaction of IL-1alpha with fibrinogen, but IL-1beta showed saturable and specific binding. Scatchard analysis indicated a single binding site with an apparent K(d) = 1.5 nM and a maximum molar binding ratio of IL-1beta to fibrinogen of 1.8:1. Binding of (125)I-IL-1beta to Sepharose-immobilized fibrinogen also demonstrated a single binding site with an apparent K(d) of 3.5 nM. IL-1beta also bound specifically to fibrin monomer and polymerized fibrin with apparent K(d)s of 3.4 nM and 2.3 nM, respectively. IL-1beta displaced FGF-2 for binding to fibrin, indicating an interaction with the same or a closely related site. Compared with free form, fibrinogen-bound IL-1beta stimulated increased activation of endothelial cell nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) secretion, and nitric oxide (NO) synthesis. We conclude that IL-1beta binds with high affinity to fibrin(ogen) and demonstrates increased activity in the bound form.

FGF-2 but not FGF-1 binds fibrin and supports prolonged endothelial cell growth

Endothelial cell viability and growth are dependent on both polypeptide growth factors, and integrin-mediated matrix interactions. We have now examined the ability of fibrin-binding and non-binding growth factors to support long-term endothelial cell growth in the presence or absence of the soluble form. Endothelial cells were cultured on a fibrin surface, with or without FGF-1 or FGF-2, and proliferation was determined by (3)H-thymidine incorporation. Cells cultured on fibrin with no growth factor showed minimal proliferation up to 96 h. In contrast, when FGF-2 was incorporated into fibrin, proliferation was increased 6.5 +/- 0.6-fold, equal to growth on a fibrin surface with FGF-2 continually present in the medium. Thymidine incorporation was similar when cells were cultured on a fibrin surface that had been incubated with FGF-2 and then the growth factor removed (8.6 +/- 0.5-fold). In contrast to results with FGF-2, a surface of fibrin exposed to FGF-1 supported minimal growth, whereas growth was comparable to either FGF-1 or FGF-2 present in the medium. Comparable results were observed when proliferation was quantitated by cell counting at times up to 48 h. Binding studies demonstrated no high-affinity interaction of FGF-1 with fibrinogen or fibrin. We conclude that FGF-2 bound to fibrin supports prolonged endothelial cell growth as well as soluble FGF-2, whereas FGF-1 does not bind to fibrin and can support endothelial cell growth only if continually present in soluble form. Fibrin may serve as a matrix reservoir for FGF-2 to support cell growth at sites of injury or thrombosis.

Plasmic degradation modulates activity of fibrinogen-bound fibroblast growth factor-2

Fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) binds to fibrin(ogen) with high affinity, and fibrinogen potentiates FGF-2-stimulated proliferation of endothelial cells. Because plasmin degrades fibrin(ogen) physiologically and could liberate growth factor from fibrin deposits or alter its activity, we have now investigated the effect of plasmic degradation on the activity of fibrin(ogen)-bound FGF-2. Fibrinogen with bound FGF-2 was incubated with plasmin, the products characterized by SDS-PAGE, and the proliferative activity determined by (3)H-thymidine incorporation into endothelial cells. Before plasmin exposure, proliferation was increased 3.7 +/- 0.6-fold with fibrinogen-bound FGF-2 compared with medium alone (P < 0.005). Plasmic degradation resulted in progressive decrease in the proliferative capacity, with the 60-min digest showing predominantly fragment D1 and E and (3)H-thymidine uptake of only 1.2 +/- 0.2-fold, significantly less than the activity of an equal concentration of free FGF-2 (P < 0.02). However, further degradation increased activity, and proliferation with a 90-min digest increased to 2.6 +/- 0.5-fold, significantly greater than the 60-min digest (P < 0.02). Plasmic degradation in the presence of 10 mm calcium chloride prevented degradation of D1 to D2 and D3, and the activity did not increase with extended degradation. Immunoprecipitation of the digests with antifibrinogen antibody showed 70 +/- 8% of fibrinogen-bound FGF-2 in the presence of calcium but only 15 +/- 4% in its absence, indicating that cleavage of D1 to D2 and D3 is critical in binding. Fragment D1 and D2, but not D3, bound to a column containing immobilized FGF-2, indicating that a binding site is lost upon degradation to D3. The results demonstrate that plasmic degradation of fibrinogen modulates the activity and binding of FGF-2 that involves a site near the carboxyl terminus of the gamma chain.

Binding of mutant tissue-type plasminogen activators to human endothelial cells and their extracellular matrix

We previously demonstrated that tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) specifically bound to its receptor (t-PAR) on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). In addition to analyses of t-PA binding to plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) in the extracellular matrix (ECM) and to the t-PAR, we further evaluated the binding of three t-PA mutants, deltaFE1X t-PA lacking finger (F), epidermal growth factor-like (E) domains and one sugar chain at Asn177 thus comprising two kringles (K1 and K2) and protease (P) domains, deltaFE3X t-PA with three glycosylation sites deleted at Asn117, 184, and 448, and deltaFEK1 t-PA comprising K2 and P domains without glycosylation. Wild-type t-PA bound to ECM with high affinity, which was completely blocked by anti-PAI-1 IgG. Wild-type t-PA, deltaFE1X t-PA and deltaFEK1 t-PA bound to two classes of binding sites with high and low affinities on monolayer HUVEC. However, all t-PAs bound to a single class of binding site in the presence of anti-PAI-1 IgG. DeltaFEK1 t-PA bound t-PAR maximally among these t-PAs. These results suggested that the high affinity binding of t-PA mainly occurred with PAI-1 on ECM while the low affinity binding was with t-PAR. The deletion of F, E domains and sugar chains had no effect on binding with t-PAR. However, since only K1-missing t-PA (deltaFEK1) exhibited significantly increased binding sites among these t-PAs, it was suggested that the binding to t-PAR was mediated mainly by K2 domain and that the increase of binding was due to direct exposure of K2 domain.

Endothelin-1 enhances plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 production by human brain endothelial cells via protein kinase C-dependent pathway

The effects of endothelin-1 (ET-1) on the production of plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) and tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) by human brain-derived endothelial cells in culture were studied. At 100 nmol/L, ET-1 increased PAI-1 production by 88+/-6% within 72 hours, and increased PAI-1 mRNA expression within 1 hour of stimulation; there was no significant effect on t-PA production. PAI-1 activity was also examined and found to increase with ET-1 treatment. Suboptimal concentrations of ET-1 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) acted synergistically to increase PAI-1 production. ET-1 activated protein kinase C and cAMP-dependent protein kinase pathways within 3 to 5 minutes of treatment, with the peak at 10 minutes. Activation of protein kinase C by phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) resulted in increased PAI-1 production, whereas activation of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase by forskolin or dibutyryl cAMP (dBu-cAMP) significantly decreased PAI-1 production. However, simultaneous activation of protein kinase C by PMA and cAMP-dependent protein kinase by dBu-cAMP only slightly attenuated PMA-induced PAI-1 increase. Inhibition of protein kinase C by GF-109213X abolished the effects of ET-1. These results demonstrate that ET-1 and TNF-alpha function synergistically to induce procoagulant activity of brain endothelial cells in a process that involves a protein kinase C-dependent pathway.

Potentiation of endothelial cell proliferation by fibrin(ogen)-bound fibroblast growth factor-2

Endothelial cell growth is stimulated by fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2), and both adhesion and proliferation are modulated by interactions with fibrinogen and fibrin. Previous evidence indicates that FGF-2 binds specifically and with high affinity to fibrinogen and fibrin, suggesting that their effects on endothelial cells may be coordinated. In this study, we have, therefore, investigated the ability of FGF-2 bound to fibrinogen and fibrin to stimulate proliferation of endothelial cells. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells were cultured in the presence of FGF-2 with or without fibrinogen, and proliferation was assessed by microscopic examination of cultures, incorporation of [3H]thymidine and by cell counting. Cells cultured in the presence of both FGF-2 and fibrinogen proliferated more rapidly than those with FGF-2 alone and exhibited a decreased population doubling time. At concentrations of FGF-2 up to 150 ng/ml, there was greater endothelial cell proliferation in the presence of fibrinogen than in its absence with the most pronounced effect below 1 ng/ml. The maximum effect of fibrinogen was observed at a molar ratio of fibrinogen to FGF-2 of 2:1, corresponding to the maximum molar binding ratio. Endothelial cells proliferated when plated on fibrin or surface-immobilized fibrinogen with FGF-2, indicating that FGF-2 bound to surface-associated fibrin(ogen) retained activity. We conclude that fibrinogen- or fibrin-bound FGF-2 is able to support endothelial cell proliferation and that fibrinogen potentiates the proliferative capacity of FGF-2.

Nicotine increases plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 production by human brain endothelial cells via protein kinase C-associated pathway

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Smoking both increases stroke risk and reduces the risk of thrombolysis-associated intracerebral hemorrhage. Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) is a major regulator of fibrinolysis; elevation of PAI-1 is associated with an increased risk of thrombotic disorders. We studied the effect of nicotine, an important constituent of cigarette smoke, on PAI-1 production by human brain endothelial cells.

METHODS

Adult human central nervous system endothelial cells (CNS-EC) were used for tissue culture experiments. We analyzed culture supernatant for PAI-1 protein and measured PAI-1 mRNA (by Northern blot analysis) and protein kinase C (PK-C) activity.

RESULTS

Nicotine at 100 nmol/L increased PAI-1 protein production and mRNA expression by CNS-EC. After 72 hours of exposure to nicotine, the concentration of secreted PAI-1 in the cell supernatant was increased 1.90+/-0.2 fold compared with untreated cells. PAI-1 mRNA also increased approximately twofold. Inhibition of PK-C completely abolished this effect. Nicotine had no effect on the concentration of tissue plasminogen activator.

CONCLUSIONS

Nicotine increases brain endothelial cell PAI-1 mRNA expression and protein production via PK-C-dependent pathway. These findings provide new insights into why smoking may be associated with predisposition to thrombosis and inversely associated with intracerebral hemorrhage after therapeutic tissue plasminogen activator therapy.

Regulation of motility and protease expression in PKC-mediated induction of MCF-7 breast cancer cell invasiveness

We investigated a potentially central role of protein kinase C (PKC) in controlling multiple pathways in breast cancer cell invasiveness. To do this we evaluated the ability of pharmacologic agents that alter PKC activity to regulate the behavior of the poorly invasive human breast cancer cell line MCF-7. Treatment with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) produced a dramatic induction of the invasiveness of these cells (18-fold), an effect that concurrent treatment with the PKC inhibitor Bryostatin-1 was able to block. To characterize alterations in the cellular properties that might be responsible for these effects we measured the impact of these two agents on a number of processes thought to be important for invasiveness. The motility of the cells was first examined; it was markedly increased by treatment with TPA (20-fold) and again, Bryostatin-1 inhibited this stimulation. We next examined the expression of MMP-1, 3, 9, 10, and 11 (matrix metalloproteinases), all of which have been shown to be PKC responsive in other systems. We found that the expression and secretion of MMP-9 were increased by at least 100-fold, though all of the enzyme secreted was in the latent form. Finally, the expression of both urokinase plasminogen activator (UPA) and its receptor (UPAR) were induced after TPA treatment by 8- and 7-fold, respectively. In conclusion, we have shown that stimulation of PKC activity markedly increases the invasiveness of MCF-7 cells, and that this change in behavior is correlated with a coordinated set of biochemical and cellular changes which are likely to contribute to this process. These data highlight the possible utility of PKC inhibitors such as Bryostatin-1 as anti-invasive and/or antimetastatic agents. Bryostatin-1 is currently in early clinical trials as an anticancer agent.

Endothelial dysfunction following thrombolysis in vitro

OBJECTIVES

Thrombolytic therapy is frequently used to manage vascular graft thrombosis. However, long-term patency after thrombolysis remains poor. The purpose of this study was to characterise the morphological and functional response of endothelial cells (EC) exposed to a thrombus and subsequently lytic therapy.

METHODS

Human EC were exposed to human whole blood thrombus for 2, 6, 12, and 24 h. The thrombus was lysed with urokinase. Cell morphology was studied with electron microscopy. Northern blot analyses were performed with human c-DNA probes for endothelin-1, thrombomodulin, tissue factor, tissue plasminogen activator, plasminogen activator inhibitor, and triose phosphate isomerase.

RESULTS

EC retraction occurred for each period of incubation. Thrombomodulin expression was increased 2.2-fold at 6 h and 2.4-fold at 24 h. t-PA expression was depressed proportionally to the duration of thrombus exposure. PAI and TF expression transiently increased 1.5-fold at 2 h of exposure and returned to baseline at 6 h. Endothelin expression remained unchanged.

CONCLUSIONS

Except for a transient increase in TF expression and reversal of the tPA/PAI ratio, EC exposed to thrombus do not appear to become actively procoagulant. The increase in TM expression may reflect enhanced thromboresistance. However, EC retraction may be responsible for an increase thrombogenicity of saphenous vein graft after thrombosis and Urokinase therapy.