In vascular endothelium, adherens junctions between endothelial cells are composed of VE-cadherin (vascular endothelial cadherin), an adhesive receptor that is crucial for the proper assembly of vascular structures and the maintenance of vascular integrity. As a classical cadherin, VE-cadherin links endothelial cells together by homophilic interactions mediated by its extracellular part and associates intracellularly with the actin cytoskeleton via catenins. Although, from structural crystallographic data, a dimeric structure arranged in a trans orientation has emerged as a potential mechanism of cell–cell adhesion, the cadherin organization within adherens junctions remains controversial. Concerning VE-cadherin, its extracellular part possesses the capacity to self-associate in solution as hexamers consisting of three antiparallel cadherin dimers. VE-cadherin-based adherens junctions were reconstituted in vitro by assembly of a VE-cadherin EC (extracellular repeat) 1–EC4 hexamer at the surfaces of liposomes. The artificial adherens junctions revealed by cryoelectron microscopy appear as a two-dimensional self-assembly of hexameric structures. This cadherin organization is reminiscent of that found in native desmosomal junctions. Further structural studies performed on native VE-cadherin junctions would provide a better understanding of the cadherin organization within adherens junctions. Homophilic interactions between cadherins are strengthened intracellularly by connection to the actin cytoskeleton. Recently, we have discovered that annexin 2, an actin-binding protein connects the VE-cadherin–catenin complex to the actin cytoskeleton. This novel link is labile and promotes the endothelial cell switch from a quiescent to an angiogenic state.
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April 2008
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Conference Article|
March 20 2008
Structure of artificial and natural VE-cadherinbased adherens junctions
Jean-Christophe Taveau;
Jean-Christophe Taveau
*CBMN UMR-CNRS 5248 IECB, Université Bordeaux 1, Avenue des Facultés, 33405 Talence, France
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Mathilde Dubois;
Mathilde Dubois
*CBMN UMR-CNRS 5248 IECB, Université Bordeaux 1, Avenue des Facultés, 33405 Talence, France
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Olivier Le Bihan;
Olivier Le Bihan
*CBMN UMR-CNRS 5248 IECB, Université Bordeaux 1, Avenue des Facultés, 33405 Talence, France
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Sylvain Trépout;
Sylvain Trépout
*CBMN UMR-CNRS 5248 IECB, Université Bordeaux 1, Avenue des Facultés, 33405 Talence, France
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Sébastien Almagro;
Sébastien Almagro
†Laboratoire de Physiopathologie Vasculaire, U INSERM 882, CEA-Grenoble, 17 rue des Martyrs, 38054 Grenoble, France
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Elizabeth Hewat;
Elizabeth Hewat
‡Institut de Biologie Structurale Jean-Pierre Ebel, UMR 5075, CEA-CNRS-UJF, 41 rue Jules Horowitz, 38027 Grenoble Cedex 1, France
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Claire Durmort;
Claire Durmort
‡Institut de Biologie Structurale Jean-Pierre Ebel, UMR 5075, CEA-CNRS-UJF, 41 rue Jules Horowitz, 38027 Grenoble Cedex 1, France
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Stéphanie Heyraud;
Stéphanie Heyraud
†Laboratoire de Physiopathologie Vasculaire, U INSERM 882, CEA-Grenoble, 17 rue des Martyrs, 38054 Grenoble, France
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Danielle Gulino-Debrac;
Danielle Gulino-Debrac
†Laboratoire de Physiopathologie Vasculaire, U INSERM 882, CEA-Grenoble, 17 rue des Martyrs, 38054 Grenoble, France
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Olivier Lambert
Olivier Lambert
1
*CBMN UMR-CNRS 5248 IECB, Université Bordeaux 1, Avenue des Facultés, 33405 Talence, France
1To whom correspondence should be addressed (email o.lambert@iecb.u-bordeaux.fr).
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
November 19 2007
Online ISSN: 1470-8752
Print ISSN: 0300-5127
© The Authors Journal compilation © 2008 Biochemical Society
2008
Biochem Soc Trans (2008) 36 (2): 189–193.
Article history
Received:
November 19 2007
Citation
Jean-Christophe Taveau, Mathilde Dubois, Olivier Le Bihan, Sylvain Trépout, Sébastien Almagro, Elizabeth Hewat, Claire Durmort, Stéphanie Heyraud, Danielle Gulino-Debrac, Olivier Lambert; Structure of artificial and natural VE-cadherinbased adherens junctions. Biochem Soc Trans 1 April 2008; 36 (2): 189–193. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/BST0360189
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