Increased recycling of (alpha)5(beta)1 integrins by lung endothelial cells in response to tumor necrosis factor

Tumor necrosis factor (alpha) (TNF-(alpha) can change the interaction of lung endothelial cell monolayers with their extracellular matrix in association with an increase in endothelial monolayer protein permeability. Using immunofluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry, we determined if exposure of calf pulmonary artery endothelial monolayers to TNF-(alpha) may influence cell-matrix interactions by altering the clustering as well as internalization of the (&agr;)5(beta)1 integrins (or fibronectin receptors) on the surface of endothelial cells. Immunofluorescence microscopy revealed that TNF-(alpha) caused an increase in the intracellular staining of (alpha)5(alpha)1 integrins within structures similar to endocytic vesicles as well as an increase in antibody-induced clustering of the integrins at the cell periphery. Flow cytometric analysis of endothelial cells incubated at 37 degrees C after antibody-labeling of their surface (alpha)5(beta)1 integrins at 4 degrees C confirmed an increase in the rate of (alpha)5(beta)1 integrin internalization which was at least 3 times greater after TNF-(&agr;) exposure, based on the half-life for antibody-labeled surface integrins to reach equilibrium with non-labeled integrins within the intracellular pool. Interestingly, the total cell surface expression of (alpha)5(beta)1 integrins was relatively constant after TNF-(alpha) exposure despite the enhanced rate of internalization, suggesting an accelerated recycling of the internalized (alpha)5(beta)1 integrins back to the cell surface. This response was confirmed by the measurement of labeled integrin recycling, which showed a significant (P<0.01) increase in the rate of recycling of the internalized integrins in TNF-treated endothelial cells. Enhanced internalization and subsequent recycling of (alpha)5(beta)1 integrins by endothelial monolayers exposed to TNF-(alpha) may facilitate the redistribution of cell-surface integrins in response to this inflammatory cytokine and may also modify cell-matrix interactions leading to reduced integrity and increased protein permeability of the lung endothelial monolayers.