TY - JOUR
T1 - Caveolae and caveolae constituents in mechanosensing
T2 - Effect of modeled microgravity on cultured human endothelial cells
AU - Spisni, Enzo
AU - Toni, Mattia
AU - Strillacci, Antonio
AU - Galleri, Grazia
AU - Santi, Spartaco
AU - Griffoni, Cristiana
AU - Tomasi, Vittorio
PY - 2006/10
Y1 - 2006/10
N2 - Studies in modeled microgravity or during orbital space flights have clearly demonstrated that endothelial cell physiology is strongly affected by the reduction of gravity. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanisms by which endothelial cells may sense gravity force remain unclear. We previously hypothesized that endothelial cell caveolae could be a mechanosensing system involved in hypergravity adaptation of human endothelial cells. In this study, we analyzed the effect on the physiology of human umbilical vein endothelial cell monolayers of short exposure to modeled microgravity (24-48 h) obtained by clinorotation. For this purpose, we evaluated the levels of compounds, such as nitric oxide and prostacyclin, involved in vascular tone regulation and synthesized starting from caveolae-related enzymes. Furthermore, we examined posttranslational modifications of Caveolin (Cav)-1 induced by simulated microgravity. The results we collected clearly indicated that short microgravity exposure strongly affected endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity associated with Cav-1 (Tyr 14) phosphorylation, without modifying the angiogenic response of human umbilical vein endothelial cells. We propose here that one of the early molecular mechanisms responsible for gravity sensing of endothelium involves endothelial cell caveolae and Cav-1 phosphorylation.
AB - Studies in modeled microgravity or during orbital space flights have clearly demonstrated that endothelial cell physiology is strongly affected by the reduction of gravity. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanisms by which endothelial cells may sense gravity force remain unclear. We previously hypothesized that endothelial cell caveolae could be a mechanosensing system involved in hypergravity adaptation of human endothelial cells. In this study, we analyzed the effect on the physiology of human umbilical vein endothelial cell monolayers of short exposure to modeled microgravity (24-48 h) obtained by clinorotation. For this purpose, we evaluated the levels of compounds, such as nitric oxide and prostacyclin, involved in vascular tone regulation and synthesized starting from caveolae-related enzymes. Furthermore, we examined posttranslational modifications of Caveolin (Cav)-1 induced by simulated microgravity. The results we collected clearly indicated that short microgravity exposure strongly affected endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity associated with Cav-1 (Tyr 14) phosphorylation, without modifying the angiogenic response of human umbilical vein endothelial cells. We propose here that one of the early molecular mechanisms responsible for gravity sensing of endothelium involves endothelial cell caveolae and Cav-1 phosphorylation.
KW - Caveolae
KW - Caveolin-1
KW - Endothelial cells
KW - Microgravity
KW - Nitric oxide
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U2 - 10.1385/CBB:46:2:155
DO - 10.1385/CBB:46:2:155
M3 - Article
C2 - 17012756
AN - SCOPUS:33749262446
VL - 46
SP - 155
EP - 164
JO - Cell Biochemistry and Biophysics
JF - Cell Biochemistry and Biophysics
SN - 1085-9195
IS - 2
ER -