Hic-5 promotes endothelial cell migration to lysophosphatidic acid.

Endothelial cell migration is critical for proper blood vessel development. Signals from growth factors and matrix proteins are integrated through focal adhesion proteins to alter cell migration. Hydrogen peroxide-inducible clone 5 (Hic-5), a paxillin family member, is enriched in the focal adhesions in bovine pulmonary artery endothelial (BPAE) cells, which migrate to lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) on denatured collagen. In this study, we investigate the role of Hic-5 in LPA-stimulated endothelial cell migration. LPA recruits Hic-5 to the focal adhesions and to the pseudopodia in BPAE cells plated on collagen, suggesting that recruitment of Hic-5 to focal adhesions is associated with endothelial cell migration. Knockdown of endogenous Hic-5 significantly decreases migration toward LPA, confirming involvement of Hic-5 in migration. To address the role of Hic-5 in endothelial cell migration, we exogenously expressed wild-type (WT) Hic-5 and green fluorescent protein Hic-5 C369A/C372A (LIM3 mutant) constructs in BPAE cells. WT Hic-5 expression increases chemotaxis of BPAE cells to LPA, whereas migration toward LPA of the green fluorescent protein Hic-5 C369A/C372A-expressing cells is similar to that shown in vector control cells. Additionally, ERK phosphorylation is enhanced in the presence of LPA in WT Hic-5 cells. A pharmacological inhibitor of MEK activity inhibits LPA-stimulated WT Hic-5 cell migration and ERK phosphorylation, suggesting Hic-5 enhances migration via MEK activation of ERK. Together, these studies indicate that Hic-5, a focal adhesion protein in endothelial cells, is recruited to the pseudopodia in the presence of LPA and enhances migration.