Collagen subtypes III and IV expression in human vein graft atherosclerosis

Notch regulates vascular collagen IV basement membrane through modulation of lysyl hydroxylase 3 trafficking

Collagen type IV (Col IV) is a basement membrane protein associated with early blood vessel morphogenesis and is essential for blood vessel stability. Defects in vascular Col IV deposition are the basis of heritable disorders, such as small vessel disease, marked by cerebral hemorrhage and drastically shorten lifespan. To date, little is known about how endothelial cells regulate the intracellular transport and selective secretion of Col IV in response to angiogenic cues, leaving a void in our understanding of this critical process. Our aim was to identify trafficking pathways that regulate Col IV deposition during angiogenic blood vessel development. We have identified the GTPase Rab10 as a major regulator of Col IV vesicular trafficking during vascular development using both in vitro imaging and biochemistry as well as in vivo models. Knockdown of Rab10 reduced de novo Col IV secretion in vivo and in vitro. Mechanistically, we determined that Rab10 is an indirect mediator of Col IV secretion, partnering with atypical Rab25 to deliver the enzyme lysyl hydroxylase 3 (LH3) to Col IV-containing vesicles staged for secretion. Loss of Rab10 or Rab25 results in depletion of LH3 from Col IV-containing vesicles and rapid lysosomal degradation of Col IV. Furthermore, we demonstrate that Rab10 is Notch responsive, indicating a novel connection between permissive Notch-based vessel maturation programs and vesicle trafficking. Our results illustrate both a new trafficking-based component in the regulated secretion of Col IV and how this vesicle trafficking program interfaces with Notch signaling to fine-tune basement membrane secretion during blood vessel development.