Testisin/Prss21 deficiency causes increased vascular permeability and a hemorrhagic phenotype during luteal angiogenesis

PLoS One. 2020 Jun 8;15(6):e0234407. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0234407. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Testisin (encoded by PRSS21) is a membrane anchored serine protease, which is tethered to the cell surface via a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchor. While testisin is found in abundance in spermatozoa, it is also expressed in microvascular endothelial cells where its function is unknown. Here we identify testisin as a novel regulator of physiological hormone-induced angiogenesis and microvascular endothelial permeability. Using a murine model of rapid physiological angiogenesis during corpus luteal development in the ovary, we found that mice genetically deficient in testisin (Prss21-/-) show a substantially increased incidence of hemorrhages which are significantly more severe than in littermate control Prss21+/+ mice. This phenotype was associated with increased vascular leakiness, demonstrated by a greater accumulation of extravasated Evans blue dye in Prss21-/- ovaries. Live cell imaging of in vitro cultured microvascular endothelial cells depleted of testisin by siRNA knockdown revealed that loss of testisin markedly impaired reorganization and tubule-like formation on Matrigel basement membranes. Moreover testisin siRNA knockdown increased the paracellular permeability to FITC-albumin across endothelial cell monolayers, which was associated with decreased expression of the adherens junction protein VE-cadherin and increased levels of phospho(Tyr658)-VE-cadherin, without affecting the levels of the tight junction proteins occludin and claudin-5, or ZO-1. Decreased expression of VE-cadherin in the neovasculature of Prss21-/- ovaries was also observed without marked differences in endothelial cell content, vascular claudin-5 expression or pericyte recruitment. Together, these data identify testisin as a novel regulator of VE-cadherin adhesions during angiogenesis and indicate a potential new target for regulating neovascular integrity and associated pathologies.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigens, CD / metabolism
  • Cadherins / metabolism
  • Capillary Permeability / genetics
  • Capillary Permeability / physiology*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Corpus Luteum / blood supply*
  • Corpus Luteum / pathology
  • Corpus Luteum / physiopathology
  • Female
  • GPI-Linked Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • GPI-Linked Proteins / deficiency
  • GPI-Linked Proteins / genetics
  • GPI-Linked Proteins / physiology
  • Gene Knockdown Techniques
  • Hemorrhage / etiology
  • Hemorrhage / genetics
  • Hemorrhage / physiopathology
  • Humans
  • Luteinization / genetics
  • Luteinization / physiology
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Neovascularization, Physiologic* / genetics
  • Phenotype
  • Serine Endopeptidases / deficiency*
  • Serine Endopeptidases / genetics
  • Serine Endopeptidases / physiology

Substances

  • Antigens, CD
  • Cadherins
  • GPI-Linked Proteins
  • cadherin 5
  • PRSS21 protein, human
  • Prss21 protein, mouse
  • Serine Endopeptidases