Nuclear SUN1 stabilizes endothelial cell junctions via microtubules to regulate blood vessel formation

Elife. 2023 Mar 29:12:e83652. doi: 10.7554/eLife.83652.

Abstract

Endothelial cells line all blood vessels, where they coordinate blood vessel formation and the blood-tissue barrier via regulation of cell-cell junctions. The nucleus also regulates endothelial cell behaviors, but it is unclear how the nucleus contributes to endothelial cell activities at the cell periphery. Here, we show that the nuclear-localized linker of the nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton (LINC) complex protein SUN1 regulates vascular sprouting and endothelial cell-cell junction morphology and function. Loss of murine endothelial Sun1 impaired blood vessel formation and destabilized junctions, angiogenic sprouts formed but retracted in SUN1-depleted sprouts, and zebrafish vessels lacking Sun1b had aberrant junctions and defective cell-cell connections. At the cellular level, SUN1 stabilized endothelial cell-cell junctions, promoted junction function, and regulated contractility. Mechanistically, SUN1 depletion altered cell behaviors via the cytoskeleton without changing transcriptional profiles. Reduced peripheral microtubule density, fewer junction contacts, and increased catastrophes accompanied SUN1 loss, and microtubule depolymerization phenocopied effects on junctions. Depletion of GEF-H1, a microtubule-regulated Rho activator, or the LINC complex protein nesprin-1 rescued defective junctions of SUN1-depleted endothelial cells. Thus, endothelial SUN1 regulates peripheral cell-cell junctions from the nucleus via LINC complex-based microtubule interactions that affect peripheral microtubule dynamics and Rho-regulated contractility, and this long-range regulation is important for proper blood vessel sprouting and junction integrity.

Keywords: GEF-H1; Nesprin-1; Rho; SUN1; adherens junctions; angiogenesis; blood vessels; cell biology; contractility; endothelial cell; endothelial cells; microtubules; mouse; nuclear LINC complex; zebrafish.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Endothelial Cells* / metabolism
  • Intercellular Junctions / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Microtubule-Associated Proteins* / metabolism
  • Microtubules / metabolism
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism
  • Zebrafish / metabolism

Substances

  • Microtubule-Associated Proteins
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • SUN1 protein, mouse

Associated data

  • GEO/GSE213099