VLA-2 mediates the interaction of collagen with endothelium during in vitro vascular tube formation.

A confluent endothelial monolayer can be induced to form vascular tubes in response to collagen. We investigated possible mechanisms of collagen-induced tube formation by using antibodies to the VLA-2 integrin receptor and protein kinase C inhibitors. Pre-incubation of cells with anti-VLA-2 (which recognises both the alpha 2 and beta 1 chains) and AK7 (which recognises only the alpha 2 chain) showed a dose-dependent inhibition of tube formation. At 50 micrograms/ml, anti-VLA-2 completely inhibited collagen-induced tube formation, whereas AK7 caused only partial inhibition. Both chlorpromazine and trifluoperazine, at concentrations of 10 microM, prevented tube formation (> 40% inhibition). In summary, the VLA-2 integrin receptor plays a role in the induction of tube formation by type I collagen. Protein kinase C may be activated during this process.