Neuropilin regulation of angiogenesis

Blood vessel formation during vertebrate development relies on a process called angiogenesis and is essential for organ growth and tissue viability. In addition, angiogenesis leads to pathological blood vessel growth in diseases with tissue ischaemia, such as neovascular eye disease and cancer. Neuropilin 1 (NRP1) is a transmembrane protein that serves as a receptor for the VEGF165 isoform of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) to enhance cell migration during angiogenesis via VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2), and it is also essential for VEGF-induced vascular permeability and arteriogenesis. In addition, NRP1 activation affects angiogenesis independently of VEGF signalling by activating the intracellular kinase ABL1. NRP1 also acts as a receptor for the class 3 semaphorin (SEMA3A) to regulate vessel maturation during tumour angiogenesis and vascular permeability in eye disease. In the present paper, we review current knowledge of NRP1 regulation during angiogenesis and vascular pathology.

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Neuropilin 1 Regulation of Vascular Permeability Signaling

Biomolecules ◽

10.3390/biom11050666 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (5) ◽

pp. 666

Author(s):

Alison Domingues ◽

Alessandro Fantin

Keyword(s):

Blood Vessels ◽

Vascular Permeability ◽

Vascular Endothelial Cells ◽

Current Knowledge ◽

Vascular Endothelial ◽

Edema Formation ◽

Ischemic Disease ◽

Neuropilin 1 ◽

Endothelial Growth Factor

The vascular endothelium acts as a selective barrier to regulate macromolecule exchange between the blood and tissues. However, the integrity of the endothelium barrier is compromised in an array of pathological settings, including ischemic disease and cancer, which are the leading causes of death worldwide. The resulting vascular hyperpermeability to plasma molecules as well as leukocytes then leads to tissue damaging edema formation and inflammation. The vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) is a potent permeability factor, and therefore a desirable target for impeding vascular hyperpermeability. However, VEGFA also promotes angiogenesis, the growth of new blood vessels, which is required for reperfusion of ischemic tissues. Moreover, edema increases interstitial pressure in poorly perfused tumors, thereby affecting the delivery of therapeutics, which could be counteracted by stimulating the growth of new functional blood vessels. Thus, targets must be identified to accurately modulate the barrier function of blood vessels without affecting angiogenesis, as well as to develop more effective pro- or anti-angiogenic therapies. Recent studies have shown that the VEGFA co-receptor neuropilin 1 (NRP1) could be playing a fundamental role in steering VEGFA-induced responses of vascular endothelial cells towards angiogenesis or vascular permeability. Moreover, NRP1 is involved in mediating permeability signals induced by ligands other than VEGFA. This review therefore focuses on current knowledge on the role of NRP1 in the regulation of vascular permeability signaling in the endothelium to provide an up-to-date landscape of the current knowledge in this field.

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Neuropilin-1 on hematopoietic cells as a source of vascular development

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood-2002-01-0119 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 101 (5) ◽

pp. 1801-1809 ◽

Cited By ~ 35

Author(s):

Yoshihiro Yamada ◽

Yuichi Oike ◽

Hisao Ogawa ◽

Yasuhiro Ito ◽

Hajime Fujisawa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Endothelial Cells ◽

Fetal Liver ◽

Vascular Development ◽

Hematopoietic Cells ◽

Vegf Receptor ◽

Knock Out ◽

Neuropilin 1 ◽

Vasculogenesis And Angiogenesis

Neuropilin-1 (NP-1) is a receptor for vascular endothelial growth factor-165 (VEGF165) and acts as a coreceptor that enhances the function of VEGF165 through VEGF receptor-2 (VEGFR-2). Studies using transgenic and knock-out mice of NP-1 indicated that this molecule is important for vascular development as well as neuronal development. We recently reported that clustered soluble NP-1 phosphorylates VEGFR-2 on endothelial cells with a low dose of VEGF165 and rescues the defective vascularity of the NP-1−/− embryo in vitro and in vivo. Here we show that NP-1 is expressed by CD45+ hematopoietic cells in the fetal liver, can bind VEGF165, and phosphorylates VEGFR-2 on endothelial cells. CD45+NP-1+ cells rescued the defective vasculogenesis and angiogenesis in the NP-1−/− P-Sp (para-aortic splanchnopleural mesodermal region) culture, although CD45+NP-1− cells did not. Moreover, CD45+NP-1+ cells together with VEGF165 induced angiogenesis in an in vivo Matrigel assay and cornea neovascularization assay. The extracellular domain of NP-1 consists of “a,” “b,” and “c” domains, and it is known that the “a” and “c” domains are necessary for dimerization of NP-1. We found that both the “a” and “c” domains are essential for such rescue of defective vascularities in the NP-1 mutant. These results suggest that NP-1 enhances vasculogenesis and angiogenesis exogenously and that dimerization of NP-1 is important for enhancing vascular development. In NP-1−/− embryos, vascular sprouting is impaired at the central nervous system (CNS) and pericardium where VEGF is not abundant, indicating that NP-1–expressing cells are required for normal vascular development.

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A New Factor That Promotes Blood Vessel Growth?

JAMA ◽

10.1001/jama.1984.03350150061025 ◽

1984 ◽

Vol 252 (15) ◽

pp. 2061

Author(s):

George D. Lundberg

Keyword(s):

Blood Vessel ◽

Vessel Growth

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Postischemic Revascularization: From Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms to Clinical Applications

Physiological Reviews ◽

10.1152/physrev.00006.2013 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 93 (4) ◽

pp. 1743-1802 ◽

Cited By ~ 145

Author(s):

Jean-Sébastien Silvestre ◽

David M. Smadja ◽

Bernard I. Lévy

Keyword(s):

Progenitor Cells ◽

Molecular Mechanisms ◽

Current Knowledge ◽

Therapeutic Option ◽

Vascular Wall ◽

Arterial Disease ◽

Cellular Mechanisms ◽

Collateral Growth ◽

Vessel Growth ◽

Ischemic Diseases

After the onset of ischemia, cardiac or skeletal muscle undergoes a continuum of molecular, cellular, and extracellular responses that determine the function and the remodeling of the ischemic tissue. Hypoxia-related pathways, immunoinflammatory balance, circulating or local vascular progenitor cells, as well as changes in hemodynamical forces within vascular wall trigger all the processes regulating vascular homeostasis, including vasculogenesis, angiogenesis, arteriogenesis, and collateral growth, which act in concert to establish a functional vascular network in ischemic zones. In patients with ischemic diseases, most of the cellular (mainly those involving bone marrow-derived cells and local stem/progenitor cells) and molecular mechanisms involved in the activation of vessel growth and vascular remodeling are markedly impaired by the deleterious microenvironment characterized by fibrosis, inflammation, hypoperfusion, and inhibition of endogenous angiogenic and regenerative programs. Furthermore, cardiovascular risk factors, including diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, diabetes, and aging, constitute a deleterious macroenvironment that participates to the abrogation of postischemic revascularization and tissue regeneration observed in these patient populations. Thus stimulation of vessel growth and/or remodeling has emerged as a new therapeutic option in patients with ischemic diseases. Many strategies of therapeutic revascularization, based on the administration of growth factors or stem/progenitor cells from diverse sources, have been proposed and are currently tested in patients with peripheral arterial disease or cardiac diseases. This review provides an overview from our current knowledge regarding molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in postischemic revascularization, as well as advances in the clinical application of such strategies of therapeutic revascularization.

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Soluble Neuropilin-1 is an independent marker of poor prognosis in early breast cancer

Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1007/s00432-021-03635-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Tilman D. Rachner ◽

Sabine Kasimir-Bauer ◽

Andy Goebel ◽

Kati Erdmann ◽

Oliver Hoffmann ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Early Breast Cancer ◽

Poor Prognosis ◽

Therapeutic Potential ◽

Transmembrane Protein ◽

Tumor Biology ◽

Tumor Stage ◽

Her2 Status ◽

Tyrosine Kinase Receptor ◽

Neuropilin 1

Abstract Background Neuropilin-1 (NRP-1) is a transmembrane protein that acts as a multifunctional non-tyrosine kinase receptor with an established role in development and immunity. NRP-1 also regulates tumor biology, and high expression levels of tissue NRP-1 have been associated with a poor prognosis. Recently, ELISA-based quantification of soluble NRP-1 (sNRP-1) has become available, but little is known about the prognostic value of sNRP-1 in malignancies. Materials and methods We measured sNRP-1 in the serum of 509 patients with primary early breast cancer (BC) at the time of diagnosis using ELISA. Results Mean serum values of sNRP-1 were 1.88 ± 0.52 nmol/l (= 130.83 ± 36.24 ng/ml). SNRP-1 levels weakly correlated with age, and were higher in peri- and postmenopausal patients compared to premenopausal patients, respectively (p < 0.0001). Low levels of sNRP-1 were associated with a significant survival benefit compared to high sNRP-1 levels at baseline (p = 0.005; HR 1.94; 95%CI 1.23–3.06). These findings remained significant after adjustment for tumor stage including lymph node involvement, grading, hormone receptor, HER2 status, and age (p = 0.022; HR 1.78; 95%CI 1.09–2.91). Conclusion Our findings warrant further investigations into the prognostic and therapeutic potential of sNRP-1 in BC.

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Abstract 117: RhoC Regulates VEGF-induced Signaling in Endothelial Cells

Circulation Research ◽

10.1161/res.115.suppl_1.117 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 115 (suppl_1) ◽

Author(s):

Luke Hoeppner ◽

Sutapa Sinha ◽

Ying Wang ◽

Resham Bhattacharya ◽

Shamit Dutta ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cell Proliferation ◽

Endothelial Cells ◽

Endothelial Cell ◽

Vascular Permeability ◽

Rho Gtpase ◽

Endothelial Cell Migration ◽

Calcium Flux ◽

Endothelial Cell Proliferation ◽

Vegf Receptor ◽

Vegf Signaling

Vascular permeability factor/vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF) is a central regulator of angiogenesis and potently promotes vascular permeability. VEGF plays a key role in the pathologies of heart disease, stroke, and cancer. Therefore, understanding the molecular regulation of VEGF signaling is an important pursuit. Rho GTPase proteins play various roles in vasculogenesis and angiogenesis. While the functions of RhoA and RhoB in these processes have been well defined, little is known about the role of RhoC in VEGF-mediated signaling in endothelial cells and vascular development. Here, we describe how RhoC modulates VEGF signaling to regulate endothelial cell proliferation, migration and permeability. We found VEGF stimulation activates RhoC in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), which was completely blocked after VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR-2) knockdown indicating that VEGF activates RhoC through VEGFR-2 signaling. Interestingly, RhoC knockdown delayed the degradation of VEGFR-2 compared to control siRNA treated HUVECs, thus implicating RhoC in VEGFR-2 trafficking. In light of our results suggesting VEGF activates RhoC through VEGFR-2, we sought to determine whether RhoC regulates vascular permeability through the VEGFR-2/phospholipase Cγ (PLCγ) /Ca 2+ /eNOS cascade. We found RhoC knockdown in VEGF-stimulated HUVECs significantly increased PLC-γ1 phosphorylation at tyrosine 783, promoted basal and VEGF-stimulated eNOS phophorylation at serine 1177, and increased calcium flux compared with control siRNA transfected HUVECs. Taken together, our findings suggest RhoC negatively regulates VEGF-induced vascular permeability. We confirmed this finding through a VEGF-inducible zebrafish model of vascular permeability by observing significantly greater vascular permeability in RhoC morpholino (MO)-injected zebrafish than control MO-injected zebrafish. Furthermore, we showed that RhoC promotes endothelial cell proliferation and negatively regulates endothelial cell migration. Our data suggests a scenario in which RhoC promotes proliferation by upregulating -catenin in a Wnt signaling-independent manner, which in turn, promotes Cyclin D1 expression and subsequently drives cell cycle progression.

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