Landmark-based retrieval of inflamed skin vessels enabled by 3D correlative intravital light and volume electron microscopy.

The nanometer spatial resolution of electron microscopy imaging remains an advantage over light microscopy, but the restricted field of view that can be inspected and the inability to visualize dynamic cellular events are definitely drawbacks of standard transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Several methods have been developed to overcome these limitations, mainly by correlating the light microscopical image to the electron microscope with correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM) techniques. Since there is more than one method to obtain the region of interest (ROI), the workflow must be adjusted according to the research question and biological material addressed. Here, we describe in detail the development of a three-dimensional CLEM workflow for mouse skin tissue exposed to an inflammation stimulus and imaged by intravital microscopy (IVM) before fixation. Our aim is to relocate a distinct vessel in the electron microscope, addressing a complex biological question: how do cells interact with each other and the surrounding environment at the ultrastructural level? Retracing the area over several preparation steps did not involve any specific automated instruments but was entirely led by anatomical and artificially introduced landmarks, including blood vessel architecture and carbon-coated grids. Successful retrieval of the ROI by electron microscopy depended on particularly high precision during sample manipulation and extensive documentation. Further modification of the TEM sample preparation protocol for mouse skin tissue even rendered the specimen suitable for serial block-face scanning electron microscopy (SBF-SEM).

Confocal Real-Time Analysis of Cutaneous Platelet Recruitment during Immune Complex‒Mediated Inflammation.

Platelets preserve vascular integrity during immune complex‒mediated skin inflammation by preventing neutrophil-provoked hemorrhage. However, the single-cell dynamics of this hemostatic process have never been studied in real-time. To monitor the onset of thrombocytopenia-associated hemorrhages and analyze platelet recruitment, we developed a confocal microscopy‒based video-imaging platform for the dorsal skinfold chamber in living mice. For ultrastructural analysis of recruited platelets, we correlated our imaging approach with serial block-face scanning electron microscopy. We found that bleeding events were transient and occurred preferentially at vascular sites, which were repeatedly penetrated by extravasating neutrophils. Hemorrhage only resumed when previously affected sites were again breached by yet another neutrophil. In non-thrombocytopenic mice, we observed that neutrophil extravasation provoked the recruitment of single platelets to the vessel wall, which required platelet immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif receptors glycoprotein VI and C-type-lectin-like receptor 2. Recruited platelets were found to spread across the endothelial barrier and some even across the basement membrane while retaining their granules. Thus, by visualizing the spatiotemporal dynamics of thrombocytopenia-associated bleeding and platelet recruitment on a single-cell level and in real-time, we provide further insights into how platelets preserve vascular integrity during immune complex‒mediated skin inflammation.

Mechanosensation by endothelial PIEZO1 is required for leukocyte diapedesis.

The extravasation of leukocytes is a critical step during inflammation that requires the localized opening of the endothelial barrier. This process is initiated by the close interaction of leukocytes with various adhesion molecules such as ICAM-1 on the surface of endothelial cells. Here we reveal that mechanical forces generated by leukocyte-induced clustering of ICAM-1 synergize with fluid shear stress exerted by the flowing blood to increase endothelial plasma membrane tension and to activate the mechanosensitive cation channel PIEZO1. This leads to increases in [Ca2+]i and activation of downstream signaling events including phosphorylation of tyrosine kinases sarcoma (SRC) and protein tyrosine kinase 2 (PYK2), as well as of myosin light chain, resulting in opening of the endothelial barrier. Mice with endothelium-specific Piezo1 deficiency show decreased leukocyte extravasation in different inflammation models. Thus, leukocytes and the hemodynamic microenvironment synergize to mechanically activate endothelial PIEZO1 and subsequent downstream signaling to initiate leukocyte diapedesis.

Platelets docking to VWF prevent leaks during leukocyte extravasation by stimulating Tie-2.

Neutrophil extravasation requires opening of the endothelial barrier but does not necessarily cause plasma leakage. Leaks are prevented by contractile actin filaments surrounding the diapedesis pore, keeping this opening tightly closed around the transmigrating neutrophils. We have identified the receptor system that is responsible for this. We show that silencing, or gene inactivation, of endothelial Tie-2 results in leak formation in postcapillary venules of the inflamed cremaster muscle at sites of neutrophil extravasation, as visualized by fluorescent microspheres. Leakage was dependent on neutrophil extravasation, because it was absent upon neutrophil depletion. We identified the Cdc42 GTPase exchange factor FGD5 as a downstream target of Tie-2 that is essential for leakage prevention during neutrophil extravasation. Looking for the Tie-2 agonist and its source, we found that platelet-derived angiopoietin-1 (Angpt1) was required to prevent neutrophil-induced leaks. Intriguingly, blocking von Willebrand factor (VWF) resulted in vascular leaks during transmigration, indicating that platelets interacting with endothelial VWF activate Tie-2 by secreting Angpt1, thereby preventing diapedesis-induced leakiness.