Extracellular Matrix Stiffness Controls VEGF Signaling and Processing in Endothelial Cells

Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF) drives endothelial cell maintenance and angiogenesis. Endothelial cell behavior is altered by the stiffness of the substrate the cells are attached to suggesting that VEGF activity might be influenced by the mechanical cellular environment. We hypothesized that extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffness modifies VEGF-cell-matrix tethering leading to altered VEGF processing and signaling. We analyzed VEGF binding, internalization, and signaling as a function of substrate stiffness in endothelial cells cultured on fibronectin (Fn) linked polyacrylamide gels. Cell produced extracellular matrices on the softest substrates were least capable of binding VEGF, but the cells exhibited enhanced VEGF internalization and signaling compared to cells on all other substrates. Inhibiting VEGF-matrix binding with sucrose octasulfate decreased cell-internalization of VEGF and, inversely, heparin pre-treatment to enhance Fn-matrix binding of VEGF increased cell-internalization of VEGF regardless of matrix stiffness. β1 integrins, which connect cells to Fn, modulated VEGF uptake in a stiffness dependent fashion. Cells on hard surfaces showed decreased levels of activated β1 and inhibition of β1 integrin resulted in a greater proportional decrease in VEGF internalization than in cells on softer matrices. Extracellular matrix binding is necessary for VEGF internalization. Stiffness modifies the coordinated actions of VEGF-matrix binding and β1 integrin binding/activation, which together are critical for VEGF internalization. This study provides insight into how the microenvironment may influence tissue regeneration and response to injury and disease. J. Cell. Physiol. 231: 2026-2039, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.