VE-cadherin RGD motifs are dispensable for cell-cell junctions, endothelial barrier function and monocyte extravasation.

ABSTRACT: VE-cadherin is a key transmembrane protein involved in endothelial cell-cell junctions, playing a crucial role in maintaining vascular integrity and regulating selective leukocyte extravasation into inflamed tissue. The extracellular domain of human VE-cadherin contains two arginine-glycine-aspartate (RGD) motifs, which are known integrin-binding sites within extracellular matrix proteins, particularly for integrins of the β1, β3, and β5 families. In this study, we examined the functional relevance of these RGD motifs by generating VE-cadherin variants in which the RGD sequences were mutated to nonfunctional RGE. Immunofluorescence analysis showed that the VE-cadherin [D238E], VE-cadherin [D301E], and double-mutant VE-cadherin [D238/301E] variants formed stable endothelial cell-cell juncti

SUBMITTER: Schoon RM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12667659 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature