Abstract
•Metformin protects against LPS-induced endothelial barrier dysfunction.•P53 mediates the beneficial effects of metformin towards the microvasculature.•The P53 suppressor pifithrin enhances endothelial paracellular permeability.•Metformin prevents the deteriorating effects of pifithrin in the lungs.
The endothelial barrier regulates interstitial fluid homeostasis by transcellular and paracellular means. Dysregulation of this semipermeable barrier may lead to vascular leakage, edema, and accumulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines, inducing microvascular hyperpermeability. Investigating the molecular pathways involved in those events will most probably provide novel therapeutic possibilities in pathologies related to endothelial barrier dysfunction. Metformin (MET) is an anti-diabetic drug, opposes malignancies, inhibits cellular transformation, and promotes cardiovascular protection. In the current study, we assess the protective effects of MET in LPS-induced lung endothelial barrier dysfunction and evaluate the role of P53 in mediating the beneficial effects of MET in the vasculature. We revealed that this biguanide (MET) opposes the LPS-induced dysregulation of the lung microvasculature, since it suppressed the formation of filamentous actin stress fibers, and deactivated cofilin. To investigate whether P53 is involved in those phenomena, we employed the fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) – dextran permeability assay, to measure paracellular permeability. Our observations suggest that P53 inhibition increases paracellular permeability, and MET prevents those effects. Our results contribute towards the understanding of the lung endothelium and reveal the significant role of P53 in the MET-induced barrier enhancement.