Expression of MUC1 mucin in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC)

Mucin 1 (MUC1) is a membrane-bound glycoprotein that is expressed by various epithelial cell types. MUC1 functions include modulation of cell adhesion, signal transduction, lubrication and hydration of epithelial surfaces, and their protection from infection. In this study we demonstrated that MUC1 is expressed in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and could be released/shed from cellular membrane. MUC1 presence in these cells was verified using three methods: Western blotting, flow cytometry and metabolic labeling. We also showed that mucin expression is stimulated by proinflammatory cytokines: about a 2-fold increase was observed after TNF-alpha treatment and lower after IFN-gamma alone and in combination with TNF-alpha treatment. It can be assumed that the presence of MUC1 in endothelial cells may have an important role in the interactions with different cell types in physiological and pathological processes. (authors)