The Relationship between fenestrations, sieve plates and rafts in liver sinusoidal endothelial cells

PLoS One. 2012;7(9):e46134. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0046134. Epub 2012 Sep 24.

Abstract

Fenestrations are transcellular pores in endothelial cells that facilitate transfer of substrates between blood and the extravascular compartment. In order to understand the regulation and formation of fenestrations, the relationship between membrane rafts and fenestrations was investigated in liver sinusoidal endothelial cells where fenestrations are grouped into sieve plates. Three dimensional structured illumination microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, internal reflectance fluorescence microscopy and two-photon fluorescence microscopy were used to study liver sinusoidal endothelial cells isolated from mice. There was an inverse distribution between sieve plates and membrane rafts visualized by structured illumination microscopy and the fluorescent raft stain, Bodipy FL C5 ganglioside GM1. 7-ketocholesterol and/or cytochalasin D increased both fenestrations and lipid-disordered membrane, while Triton X-100 decreased both fenestrations and lipid-disordered membrane. The effects of cytochalasin D on fenestrations were abrogated by co-administration of Triton X-100, suggesting that actin disruption increases fenestrations by its effects on membrane rafts. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) depleted lipid-ordered membrane and increased fenestrations. The results are consistent with a sieve-raft interaction, where fenestrations form in non-raft lipid-disordered regions of endothelial cells once the membrane-stabilizing effects of actin cytoskeleton and membrane rafts are diminished.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Actins / metabolism
  • Actins / ultrastructure
  • Animals
  • Cell Membrane Structures / drug effects
  • Cell Membrane Structures / metabolism
  • Cell Membrane Structures / ultrastructure*
  • Endothelial Cells / drug effects
  • Endothelial Cells / metabolism
  • Endothelial Cells / ultrastructure*
  • Ketocholesterols / pharmacology
  • Liver / cytology*
  • Liver / drug effects
  • Liver / embryology
  • Membrane Microdomains / chemistry
  • Membrane Microdomains / drug effects
  • Membrane Microdomains / metabolism
  • Membrane Microdomains / ultrastructure*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Micromanipulation
  • Octoxynol / pharmacology
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / metabolism

Substances

  • Actins
  • Ketocholesterols
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • Octoxynol
  • 7-ketocholesterol

Grants and funding

Ageing and Alzheimers Research Foundation (a Division the Sydney Medical School Foundation of the University of Sydney http://www.cera.usyd.edu.au/news_aarf.html), National Health and Medical Research Foundation of Australia (nhmrc.gov.au grant number 570937) and the Tromsø ¸ Research Foundation. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.