The localization of a platelet GpIIb-IIIa-related protein in endothelial cell adhesion structures

Previous studies have shown that human endothelial cells (ECs) adhere to fibrinogen (fg) and fibronectin (fn) and organize their cytoskeleton on these substrata. However, the mechanism governing this chain of events is poorly known. In ECs glycoproteins immunologically and biochemically similar to the platelet membrane GpIIb-IIIa complex have been described. The functional role of this complex in ECs remains to be established. In this study we show that the antigens recognized by polyclonal antibodies raised against human platelet GpIIb-IIIa and crossreacting with the EC form have a discrete and well-organized distribution at cell adhesion structures. Indeed these antigens are located at vinculin-rich focal contacts found at the membrane insertion of microfilament bundles of the stress fiber type. They are also found at cell-to-cell contacts and, with a diffuse pattern, at the dorsal surface of ECs. GpIIb-IIIa antibodies, added to EC suspensions prior to plating, inhibit EC spreading on fg and vitronectin (vn) substrata in a concentration-dependent way. In contrast, the antibodies are very poorly active when the cells are seeded on fn-coated glass. The same antibodies, added to adherent cells, disrupt cell-to-cell contacts and cause their rounding and detachment. Overall these results indicate that EC GpIIb-IIIa complex is involved in controlling the adhesion mechanism of these cells to extracellular matrix proteins.