Abstract
The cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) regulates various cellular functions in health and disease. In endothelial cells PKA activity promotes vessel maturation and limits tip cell formation. Here, we used a chemical genetic screen to identify endothelial-specific direct substrates of PKA in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) that may mediate these effects. Amongst several candidates, we identified ATG16L1, a regulator of autophagy, as novel target of PKA. Biochemical validation, mass spectrometry and peptide spot arrays revealed that PKA phosphorylates ATG16L1α at Ser268 and ATG16L1β at Ser269, driving phosphorylation-dependent degradation of ATG16L1 protein. Reducing PKA activity increased ATG16L1 protein levels and endothelial autophagy. Mouse in vivo genetics and pharmacological experiments demonstrated that autophagy inhibition partially rescues vascular hypersprouting caused by PKA deficiency. Together these results indicate that endothelial PKA activity mediates a critical switch from active sprouting to quiescence in part through phosphorylation of ATG16L1, which in turn reduces endothelial autophagy.
Article and author information
Author details
Funding
Fonds vor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (G.0742.15N)
- Holger Gerhardt
Else-Kroener Stiftung (2014_A26)
- Pavel Nedvetsky
- Holger Gerhardt
European Research Council (311719 REshape)
- Holger Gerhardt
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG KL1415/7-1)
- Enno Klussmann
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (394046635 - SFB 1365)
- Enno Klussmann
Bundes Ministerium für Bildung und Forschung (16GW0179K)
- Enno Klussmann
VIB (Tech Watch Q3 2015)
- Pavel Nedvetsky
- Holger Gerhardt
The funders had no role in study design, data collection and interpretation, or the decision to submit the work for publication.
Ethics
Animal experimentation: All animal experimental procedures were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Research Advisory Committee of the University of Leuven (application P249/2014) and performed according to the European guidelines.
Reviewing Editor
- Gou Young Koh, Institute of Basic Science and Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Korea (South), Republic of
Publication history
- Received: February 25, 2019
- Accepted: October 1, 2019
- Accepted Manuscript published: October 3, 2019 (version 1)
- Version of Record published: October 17, 2019 (version 2)
- Version of Record updated: April 27, 2020 (version 3)
Copyright
© 2019, Zhao et al.
This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License permitting unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.
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