Caveolin-1 is a critical determinant of autophagy, metabolic switching, and oxidative stress in vascular endothelium

PLoS One. 2014 Feb 3;9(2):e87871. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0087871. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Caveolin-1 is a scaffolding/regulatory protein that interacts with diverse signaling molecules. Caveolin-1(null) mice have marked metabolic abnormalities, yet the underlying molecular mechanisms are incompletely understood. We found the redox stress plasma biomarker plasma 8-isoprostane was elevated in caveolin-1(null) mice, and discovered that siRNA-mediated caveolin-1 knockdown in endothelial cells promoted significant increases in intracellular H₂O₂. Mitochondrial ROS production was increased in endothelial cells after caveolin-1 knockdown; 2-deoxy-D-glucose attenuated this increase, implicating caveolin-1 in control of glycolytic pathways. We performed unbiased metabolomic characterizations of endothelial cell lysates following caveolin-1 knockdown, and discovered strikingly increased levels (up to 30-fold) of cellular dipeptides, consistent with autophagy activation. Metabolomic analyses revealed that caveolin-1 knockdown led to a decrease in glycolytic intermediates, accompanied by an increase in fatty acids, suggesting a metabolic switch. Taken together, these results establish that caveolin-1 plays a central role in regulation of oxidative stress, metabolic switching, and autophagy in the endothelium, and may represent a critical target in cardiovascular diseases.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Aorta / metabolism
  • Aorta / pathology*
  • Autophagy*
  • Catalase / metabolism
  • Cattle
  • Caveolin 1 / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Caveolin 1 / physiology*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Endothelium, Vascular / metabolism
  • Endothelium, Vascular / pathology*
  • Glutathione / metabolism
  • Hydrogen Peroxide / metabolism
  • Metabolome*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Mitochondria / metabolism
  • Mitochondria / pathology
  • Oxidative Stress*
  • RNA, Small Interfering / genetics
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction

Substances

  • Cav1 protein, mouse
  • Caveolin 1
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • Hydrogen Peroxide
  • Catalase
  • Glutathione