Microglia control vascular architecture via a TGFβ1 dependent paracrine mechanism linked to tissue mechanics.

Tissue microarchitecture and mechanics are important in development and pathologies of the Central Nervous System (CNS); however, their coordinating mechanisms are unclear. Here, we report that during colonization of the retina, microglia contacts the deep layer of high stiffness, which coincides with microglial bipolarization, reduction in TGFβ1 signaling and termination of vascular growth. Likewise, stiff substrates induce microglial bipolarization and diminish TGFβ1 expression in hydrogels.

Integrin-Kindlin3 requirements for microglial motility in vivo are distinct from those for macrophages.

Microglia play a critical role in the development and homeostasis of the CNS. While mobilization of microglia is critical for a number of pathologies, understanding of the mechanisms of their migration in vivo is limited and often based on similarities to macrophages. Kindlin3 deficiency as well as Kindlin3 mutations of integrin-binding sites abolish both integrin inside-out and outside-in signaling in microglia, thereby resulting in severe deficiencies in cell adhesion, polarization, and migration in vitro, which are similar to the defects observed in macrophages.

Emergence and subsequent functional specialization of kindlins during evolution of cell adhesiveness.

Kindlins are integrin-interacting proteins essential for integrin-mediated cell adhesiveness. In this study, we focused on the evolutionary origin and functional specialization of kindlins as a part of the evolutionary adaptation of cell adhesive machinery. Database searches revealed that many members of the integrin machinery (including talin and integrins) existed before kindlin emergence in evolution.

Integrin function in vascular biology: a view from 2013.

Purpose Of Review: This review considers recent developments concerning the role of integrins in vascular biology with a specific emphasis on integrin activation, and the crosstalk between integrins and growth factor receptors.

Recent Findings: Recent studies have shown leukocytes can mediate direct transfer of molecules into endothelial cells, how specific integrins can be used to transduce signaling events, in particular in vascular beds, and how endothelial cell integrins can be targeted with specific ligands for the delivery of therapeutics. Kindlin and talin are both essential for integrin activation based on in-vivo studies of mice and humans in which the genes encoding for these proteins have been inactivated.

Regulation of cell adhesion and migration by Kindlin-3 cleavage by calpain.

Integrin activation on hematopoietic cells is essential for platelet aggregation, leukocyte adhesion, and transmigration through endothelium and extracellular matrix into inflamed tissues. To migrate through matrix, leukocyte integrin adhesion complexes undergo dynamic changes. Here we show that Kindlin-3, a main activator and binding partner of integrins in hematopoietic cells, can be cleaved by calpain in an activation-dependent manner.

Integrin β3 crosstalk with VEGFR accommodating tyrosine phosphorylation as a regulatory switch.

Integrins mediate cell adhesion, migration, and survival by connecting intracellular machinery with the surrounding extracellular matrix. Previous studies demonstrated the importance of the interaction between β(3) integrin and VEGF type 2 receptor (VEGFR2) in VEGF-induced angiogenesis. Here we present in vitro evidence of the direct association between the cytoplasmic tails (CTs) of β(3) and VEGFR2.

Hemodynamic activation of beta-catenin and T-cell-specific transcription factor signaling in vascular endothelium regulates fibronectin expression.

Objective: The goal of this study was to assess the activity of β-catenin/T-cell-specific transcription factor (TCF) signaling in atherosclerosis development and its regulation of fibronectin in vascular endothelium.

Methods And Results: Histological staining identified preferential nuclear localization of β-catenin in the endothelium of atheroprone aorta before and during lesion development. Transgenic reporter studies revealed that increased levels of TCF transcriptional activity in endothelium correlated anatomically with β-catenin nuclear localization and fibronectin deposition.

Suppression of RhoG activity is mediated by a syndecan 4-synectin-RhoGDI1 complex and is reversed by PKCalpha in a Rac1 activation pathway.

Fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) is a major regulator of developmental, pathological, and therapeutic angiogenesis. Its activity is partially mediated by binding to syndecan 4 (S4), a proteoglycan receptor. Angiogenesis requires polarized activation of the small guanosine triphosphatase Rac1, which involves localized dissociation from RhoGDI1 and association with the plasma membrane.

Endogenous RhoG is dispensable for integrin-mediated cell spreading but contributes to Rac-independent migration.

Rac activation by integrins is essential for cell spreading, migration, growth and survival. Based mainly on overexpression of dominant-negative mutants, RhoG has been proposed to mediate integrin-dependent Rac activation upstream of ELMO and Dock180. RhoG-knockout mice, however, display no significant developmental or functional abnormalities.

RhoG regulates endothelial apical cup assembly downstream from ICAM1 engagement and is involved in leukocyte trans-endothelial migration.

During trans-endothelial migration (TEM), leukocytes use adhesion receptors such as intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM1) to adhere to the endothelium. In response to this interaction, the endothelium throws up dynamic membrane protrusions, forming a cup that partially surrounds the adherent leukocyte. Little is known about the signaling pathways that regulate cup formation.