Activation of the integrins α5β1 and αvβ3 and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) during arteriogenesis

• Published in: Molecular and cellular biochemistry 2009, Vol.322 (1-2), p.161-169
• Main Authors: Cai, Wei-Jun, Li, Ming Bo, Wu, Xiaoqiong, Wu, Song, Zhu, Wu, Chen, Dan, Luo, Mingying, Eitenmüller, Inka, Kampmann, Andreas, Schaper, Jutta, Schaper, Wolfgang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biochemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Cardiology; Life Sciences; Medical Biochemistry; Oncology
• ISSN: 0300-8177; 1573-4919
• DOI: 10.1007/s11010-008-9953-8

Migration and proliferation of smooth muscle cells (SMC) are important events during arteriogenesis, but the underlying mechanism is still only partially understood. The present study investigates the expression of integrins α5β1 and vβ3 as well as focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and phosphorylated FAK (pY397), key mediators for cell migration and proliferation, in collateral vessels (CV) in rabbit hind limbs induced by femoral ligation or an arteriovenous (AV) shunt created between the distal femoral artery stump and the accompanying femoral vein by confocal immunofluorescence. In addition, the effect of the extracellular matrix components fibronectin (FN), laminin (LN), and Matrigel on expression of these focal adhesion molecules proliferation was studied in cultured SMCs. We found that: (1) in normal vessels (NV), both integrins α5β1 and αvβ3 were mainly expressed in endothelial cells, very weak in smooth muscle cells (SMC); (2) in CVs, both α5β1 and αvβ3 were significantly upregulated ( P