Kindlin‐2 interacts with endothelial adherens junctions to support vascular barrier integrity
2017
Key points A reduction in Kindlin-2 levels in endothelial cells compromises vascular barrier function. Kindlin-2 is a previously unrecognized component of endothelial
adherens junctions. By interacting directly and simultaneously with β- or γ-catenin and cortical actin filaments, Kindlin-2 stabilizes
adherens junctions. The Kindlin-2 binding sites for β- and γ-catenin reside within its F1 and F3 subdomains. Although Kindlin-2 does not associate directly with
tight junctions, its downregulation also destabilizes these junctions. Thus, impairment of both adherens and
tight junctionsmay contribute to enhanced leakiness of vasculature in Kindlin-2+/− mice. Abstract Endothelial cells (EC) establish a physical barrier between the blood and surrounding tissue. Impairment of this barrier can occur during inflammation, ischaemia or sepsis and cause severe organ dysfunction. Kindlin-2, which is primarily recognized as a focal
adhesion proteinin EC, was not anticipated to have a role in vascular barrier. We tested the role of Kindlin-2 in regulating vascular integrity using several different approaches to decrease Kindlin-2 levels in EC. Reduced levels of Kindlin-2 in Kindlin-2+/– mice aortic endothelial cells (MAECs) from these mice, and human umbilical ECs (HUVEC) treated with Kindlin-2 siRNA showed enhanced basal and
platelet-activating factor(PAF) or lipopolysaccharide-stimulated vascular leakage compared to wild-type (WT) counterparts. PAF preferentially disrupted the Kindlin-2+/− MAECs barrier to BSA and dextran and reduced transendothelial resistance compared to WT cells. Kindlin-2 co-localized and co-immunoprecipitated with vascular endothelial cadherin-based complexes, including β- and γ-catenin and actin, components of
adherens junctions(AJ). Direct interaction of Kindlin-2 with β- and γ-catenin and actin was demonstrated in co-immunoprecipitation and surface plasmon resonance experiments. In thrombin-stimulated HUVECs, Kindlin-2 and cortical actin dissociated from stable AJs and redistributed to radial actin
stress fibresof remodelling focal AJs. The β- and γ-catenin binding site resides within the F1 and F3 subdomains of Kindlin-2 but not the integrin binding site in F3. These results establish a previously unrecognized and vital role of Kindlin-2 with respect to maintaining the vascular barrier by linking Vascuar endothelial cadherin-based complexes to cortical actin and thereby stabilizing AJ.
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