Identification of protease-activated receptor-4 (PAR-4) in puromycin-purified brain capillary endothelial cells cultured on Matrigel

Neurochem Int. 2008 May;52(6):1234-9. doi: 10.1016/j.neuint.2008.01.003. Epub 2008 Jan 12.

Abstract

An improved method is described for culturing primary rat brain capillary endothelial cells (RBCEC) on glass, covered by Matrigel. The procedure using Matrigel yields spindle-shaped endothelial cells exhibiting close cell-cell appositions seen on electron microscopic sections. These cells permanently express tight junction proteins ZO-1, claudin-5 and the adherent junction protein beta-catenin, as revealed by immunofluorescence. Furthermore, glass coverslips covered with Matrigel provide a stable and low-background fluorescent base for microfluorimetric calcium measurements. By this method, hereby we show that the PAR-4 agonist peptide induces transient [Ca2+]i changes with different kinetics compared to that due to activation of the PAR-1 receptor. This indicates that RBCE cells grown on Matrigel express PAR-4 receptors.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biocompatible Materials / pharmacology
  • Calcium / analysis
  • Calcium / metabolism
  • Calcium Signaling / drug effects
  • Calcium Signaling / physiology
  • Cell Culture Techniques
  • Cell Differentiation / drug effects
  • Cell Differentiation / physiology
  • Cell Separation
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cerebral Arteries / metabolism*
  • Cerebral Arteries / ultrastructure
  • Claudin-5
  • Collagen / pharmacology*
  • Drug Combinations
  • Endothelial Cells / metabolism*
  • Endothelial Cells / ultrastructure
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Intercellular Junctions / metabolism
  • Intercellular Junctions / ultrastructure
  • Laminin / pharmacology*
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism
  • Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
  • Peptides / pharmacology
  • Phosphoproteins / metabolism
  • Protein Synthesis Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Proteoglycans / pharmacology*
  • Puromycin
  • Rats
  • Receptors, Thrombin / agonists
  • Receptors, Thrombin / metabolism*
  • Time Factors
  • Zonula Occludens-1 Protein
  • beta Catenin / metabolism

Substances

  • Biocompatible Materials
  • CLDN5 protein, human
  • Claudin-5
  • Drug Combinations
  • Laminin
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Peptides
  • Phosphoproteins
  • Protein Synthesis Inhibitors
  • Proteoglycans
  • Receptors, Thrombin
  • TJP1 protein, human
  • Tjp1 protein, rat
  • Zonula Occludens-1 Protein
  • beta Catenin
  • matrigel
  • Puromycin
  • Collagen
  • protease-activated receptor 4
  • Calcium