Nuclear SUN1 Stabilizes Endothelial Cell Junctions via Microtubules to Regulate Blood Vessel Formation

ABSTRACT

Endothelial cells line all blood vessels, where they coordinate blood vessel formation and the blood-tissue barrier via regulation of cell-cell junctions. The nucleus also regulates endothelial cell behaviors, but it is unclear how the nucleus contributes to endothelial cell activities at the cell periphery. Here we show that the nuclear-localized LINC complex protein SUN1 regulates vascular sprouting and barrier function via effects on endothelial cell-cell junction morphology and function. Loss of murine endothelial Sun1 impaired blood vessel formation and destabilized junctions, angiogenic sprouts formed but retracted in SUN1-depleted sprouts, and zebrafish vessels lacking Sun1b had aberrant junctions and defective cell-cell connections. At the cellular level, SUN1 stabilized endothelial cell-cell junctions, promoted barrier function, and regulated contractility. Mechanistically, SUN1 depletion altered cell behaviors via the cytoskeleton without changing transcriptional profiles. Reduced peripheral microtubule density, fewer junction contacts and increased catastrophes accompanied SUN1 loss, and microtubule depolymerization phenocopied effects on junctions. Depletion of GEF-H1, a microtubule-regulated Rho activator, or the LINC complex protein nesprin-1 rescued defective junctions of SUN1-depleted endothelial cells. Thus, endothelial SUN1 regulates peripheral cell-cell junctions from the nucleus via LINC complex-based microtubule interactions that affect peripheral microtubule dynamics and Rho-regulated contractility, and this long-range regulation is important for proper blood vessel sprouting and barrier function.

SUMMARY

The nuclear membrane protein SUN1 promotes blood vessel formation and barrier function by stabilizing endothelial cell-cell junctions. Communication between SUN1 and endothelial cell junctions relies upon proper microtubule dynamics and Rho signaling far from the nucleus, revealing long-range cellular communication from the nucleus to the cell periphery that is important for vascular development and function.