Figure 3

HIV-1 Tat C dissociates β-catenin from the VE-cadherin/β-catenin complex and induces endothelial permeability. VE-cadherin complex were pull down from control as well as HIV-1 Tat C treated hBMVECs to examine the phosphorylation induced dissociation of β-catenin from VE-cadherin. (A) Coimmunoprecipetation of β-catenin with cadherin complex, by using monoclonal anti VE-cadherin antibody, showing a significantly decreased association of β-catenin with VE-cadherin complex in HIV-1 Tat C treated hBMVECs. (B) A significant change in association of β-catenin with VE-cadherin in HIV-1 Tat C treated hBMVECs, shown by bar diagram. The bars are representing mean ± S.E. from three independently repeated experiments. (C) The graph showing a dose dependent decrease in TEER values across the trans-well insert membrane, in HIV-1 Tat C treated hBMVECs as compared to buffer treated control cells. (D) Sodium fluorescein dye migration assay, showing a dose dependent increase in amount of flow through of fluorescent dye across the trans-well insert membrane, due to increased permeability of hBMVECs exposed to increasing dose of HIV-1 Tat C protein.