Covalently grafted VEGF165 in hydrogel models upregulates the cellular pathways associated with angiogenesis

2011 ◽  
Vol 301 (5) ◽  
pp. C1086-C1092 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. M. Porter ◽  
C. M. Klinge ◽  
A. S. Gobin

Angiogenesis is an important biological response known to be involved in many physiological and pathophysiological situations. Cellular responses involved in the formation of new blood vessels, such as increases in endothelial cell proliferation, cell migration, and the survival of apoptosis-inducing events, have been associated with vascular endothelial growth factor isoform 165 (VEGF165). Current research in the areas of bioengineering and biomedical science has focused on developing polyethylene glycol (PEG)-based systems capable of initiating and sustaining angiogenesis in vitro. However, a thorough understanding of how endothelial cells respond at the molecular level to VEGF165 incorporated into these systems has not yet been established in the literature. The goal of the current study was to compare the upregulation of key intracellular proteins involved in angiogenesis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and human microvascular endothelial cells (HMEC) seeded on PEG hydrogels containing grafted VEGF165 and adhesion peptides Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser (RGDS). Our data suggest that the covalent incorporation of VEGF165 into PEG hydrogels encourages the upregulation of signaling proteins responsible for increases in endothelial cell proliferation, cell migration, and the survival after apoptosis-inducing events.

1999 ◽  
Vol 112 (10) ◽  
pp. 1599-1609 ◽  
Author(s):  
B.M. Kraling ◽  
D.G. Wiederschain ◽  
T. Boehm ◽  
M. Rehn ◽  
J.B. Mulliken ◽  
...  

Vessel maturation during angiogenesis (the formation of new blood vessels) is characterized by the deposition of new basement membrane and the downregulation of endothelial cell proliferation in the new vessels. Matrix remodeling plays a crucial, but still poorly understood role, in angiogenesis regulation. We present here a novel assay system with which to study the maturation of human capillary endothelial cells in vitro. When human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (HDMEC) were cultured in the presence of dibutyryl cAMP (Bt2) and hydrocortisone (HC), the deposition of a fibrous lattice of matrix molecules consisting of collagens type IV, type XVIII, laminin and thrombospondin was induced. In basal medium (without Bt2 and HC), HDMEC released active matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) into the culture medium. However, MMP protein levels were significantly reduced by treatment with Bt2 and HC, while protein levels and activity of endogenous tissue inhibitor of MMPs (TIMP) increased. This shift in the proteolytic balance and matrix deposition was inhibited by the specific protein kinase A inhibitors RpcAMP and KT5720 or by substituting analogues without reported glucocorticoid activity for HC. The addition of MMP inhibitors human recombinant TIMP-1 or 1,10-phenanthroline to cultures under basal conditions induced matrix deposition in a dose-dependent manner, which was not observed with the serine protease inhibitor epsilon-amino-n-caproic acid (ACA). The deposited basement membrane-type of matrix reproducibly suppressed HDMEC proliferation and increased HDMEC adhesion to the substratum. These processes of matrix deposition and downregulation of endothelial cell proliferation, hallmarks of differentiating new capillaries in the end of angiogenesis, were recapitulated in our cell culture system by decreasing the matrix-degrading activity. These data suggest that our cell culture assay provides a simple and feasible model system for the study of capillary endothelial cell differentiation and vessel maturation in vitro.


1987 ◽  
Author(s):  
F Liote ◽  
M P Wautier ◽  
E Savariau ◽  
H Setiadi ◽  
J L Wautier

Human peripheral blood monocytes and macrophages possess factors which are capable of inhibiting or stimulating endothelial cell proliferation. We have further explored if such activity is due to cytotoxic effects of monocytes. Normal mononuclear cells were isolated first by density gradient. Monocytes were then purified by three different techniques: 1) counter centrifugation elutriation (CCE) (Beckman) 2) selective adhesion to gelatin-plasma (GPI) 3) selective adhesion to fibronectin (Fn). Cytotoxicity was estimated by counting the release of 51cr used to label the human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVE) prior to the addition of monocytes. Whilst [3H] thymidine incorporation by HUVE permitted us to measure the effect of monocytes on the growth of the endothelial cells. Monocytes were incubated with HUVE (12×103) for 24 to 36h at various concentrations '(1.5-12×103). No cytotoxic effect could be demonstrated but an inhibition of [3h] thymidine uptake was observed and was dependent upon monocytes concentration. Monocytes isolated on GP1 exhibited a significantly higher inhibitory effect (p<0.05) compared to those purified on Fn or by CCE.(GP1: 85±6%, Fn:58±6%, CCE:67±5%). These results indicated t*hat normal monocytes can inhibit endothelial cell proliferation. This activity appeared to be higher when monocytes were isolated on GP1 which suggest that the adhesion on this surface could stimulate monocytes not only by its fibronectin receptor. This inhibitory activity of monocyte on endothelial cells proliferation could be different in patients with vascular disorders.


2013 ◽  
Vol 31 (6_suppl) ◽  
pp. 138-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Makito Miyake ◽  
Steve Goodison ◽  
Evan Gomes ◽  
Wasia Rizwani ◽  
Shanti Ross ◽  
...  

138 Background: Endothelial cell growth and proliferation are critical for tumoral angiogenesis. We report here that blockade of Chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 1 (CXCL1) results in reduction of human endothelial cell proliferation and its ability to induce angiogenesis. Methods: Two human endothelial cell lines, HUVEC and HDMEC, were used in the in vitro assays. Proliferation assay and matrigel tube formation assay were performed to test the inhibitory effect of anti-CXCL antibody on the activity of endothelial cells in vitro. Matrigel plug assay in nude mice was performed to test the in vivo angiogenic activity of CXCL1. Results: CXCL1 interacts with its receptor CXC chemokine Receptor 2 and induces endothelial cell proliferation, whereas blockade of CXCL1 is associated with reduction in cellular proliferation through a decrease in levels of cyclin D and cdk4 and inhibition of angiogenesis through EGF and ERK 1/2. Targeting CXCL1 inhibits neoangiogenesis but has no effect on disrupting established vasculature. Furthermore targeting CXCL1 is associated with reduction in migration of human endothelial cells in an in vitro model. Additionally, neutralizing antibody against CXCL1 in a xenograft angiogenesis model resulted in inhibition of angiogenesis. Conclusions: CXCL1-induced regulation of angiogenesis has not been studied extensively in human cancers, thus these findings illustrate a novel contribution of CXCL1 interactions in pathological angiogenesis. Therefore, the ability to selectively modulate CXCL1, specifically in tumoral angiogenesis, may promote the development of novel oncologic therapeutic strategies.


2015 ◽  
Vol 35 (5) ◽  
pp. 1689-1705 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heng Cai ◽  
Yixue Xue ◽  
Zhen Li ◽  
Yi Hu ◽  
Zhenhua Wang ◽  
...  

Background and Aims: Endothelial cell (EC) proliferation, migration, and tube formation are the critical steps for tumor angiogenesis, which is involved in the formation of new tumor blood vessels. Roundabout4 (Robo4), a new member of Robo proteins family, is specifically expressed in endothelial cells. This study aimed to investigate the effects of Robo4 on glioma-induced endothelial cell proliferation, migration and tube formation in vitro. Methods and Results: We found that Robo4 was endogenously expressed in Human Brain Microvascular Endothelial Cells (HBMECs), while Robo4 was significantly down-regulated in endothelial cells cultured in glioma conditioned medium. Robo4 over-expression remarkably suppressed glioma-induced endothelial cell proliferation, migration and tube formation in vitro. In addition, Robo4 influenced the glioma-induced angiogenesis via binding to its ligand Slit2. Further studies demonstrated that the knockdown of Robo4 up-regulated the phosphorylation of VEGFR2, PI3K, AKT and FAK in EC cultured in glioma conditioned medium. VEGFR2 inhibitor SU-1498, AKT inhibitor LY294002 and FAK inhibitor 14 (FAK inhibitor) blocked the Robo4 knockdown-mediated alteration in glioma angiogenesis in vitro. Conclusion: Our results proved that Robo4 suppressed glioma-induced endothelial cell proliferation, migration and tube formation in vitro by inhibiting VEGR2-mediated activation of PI3K/AKT and FAK signaling pathways.


Blood ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 83 (8) ◽  
pp. 2145-2152 ◽  
Author(s):  
VC Broudy ◽  
NL Kovach ◽  
LG Bennett ◽  
N Lin ◽  
FW Jacobsen ◽  
...  

Stem cell factor (SCF) is a hematopoietic growth factor produced by fibroblasts and endothelial cells that stimulates the growth of primitive hematopoietic cells. SCF triggers cell growth by binding to the c-kit receptor. Because endothelial cells can respond to certain hematopoietic growth factors, we tested human umbilical vein endothelial cells for display of the c-kit receptor and examined the effect of SCF on endothelial cell proliferation, adhesion molecule expression, and production of tissue factor. Quantitative binding experiments with 125I-SCF showed both high-affinity (Kd = 42 pmol/L) and low-affinity (Kd = 1.7 nmol/L) c-kit receptors. There were approximately 1,100 high-affinity c-kit receptors, and 5,400 low- affinity c-kit receptors per endothelial cell. Enzyme immunoassays showed that endothelial cells released soluble c-kit receptor and SCF. The transmembrane form of SCF was detected by indirect immunofluorescence analysis using monoclonal or polyclonal anti-SCF receptor antibodies. The addition of SCF (100 ng/mL) did not alter endothelial cell proliferation over a 7-day period. Similarly, there was no change in the release of tissue factor or expression of inducible endothelial adhesion molecules (intercellular adhesion molecule-1, endothelial-leukocyte adhesion molecule-1, and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1) measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay at 4 and 24 hours after SCF addition. The neutralizing anti-c-kit receptor monoclonal antibody SR-1 blocked binding of 125I-SCF to the c- kit receptor by 98% but did not alter endothelial cell proliferation or adhesion-molecule expression. c-kit receptors were also detected on adult endothelial cells lining small blood vessels in normal human lymph nodes. These data indicate that normal human endothelial cells produce SCF and show high-affinity c-kit receptors that have the capacity to dimerize. The lack of response to exogenous SCF may be because of intracellular activation of the c-kit receptor via autocrine production of SCF. Alternatively, SCF and c-kit may play a role other than stimulation of proliferation, adhesion-molecule display, or tissue factor production by endothelial cells. The production of soluble c-kit receptors by normal human endothelial cells may serve to regulate the bioactivity of SCF within the bone marrow microenvironment.


Blood ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 112 (11) ◽  
pp. 1897-1897
Author(s):  
Kira Braemswig ◽  
Marina Poettler ◽  
Wazlawa Kalinowska ◽  
Christoph Zielinski ◽  
Gerald W Prager

Abstract Human carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is a cell surface adhesion molecule member of the Immunoglobulin Superfamily (IgSF). Aberrant upregulation and secretion of soluble CEA is a common feature found in a wide variety of human cancers such as colon, breast and lung. Previous in vitro and in vivo results have demonstrated that CEA can affect tumor cell behavior including the inhibition of cell differentiation and apoptosis. However, any functional effects on angiogenic endothelial cell behavior are so far unknown. In the present work we found that in endothelial cells exogenous CEA led to a time and dose dependent increase in ERK phosphorylation, which was inhibited by the specific MEK inhibitor U0126. Thereby, the observed CEA effect was comparable in time and intense with the canonical angiogenic growth factor VEGF. The CEA-induced ERK phosphorylation was not affected by the blockage of VEGFR-2 / flk-1 using a specific inhibiting peptide (CBO-P11), which indicates a VEGF-independent mechanism. Furthermore, co-stimulation of endothelial cells with VEGF and CEA shows synergistic effects on ERK phosphorylation. While in endothelial cells no endogenous expression of CEA is detected, its putative receptor, the CEA receptor (CEAR), is highly expressed as shown by immunohistochemical staining of paraffin-embedded colon carcinoma sections as well as in biochemical analyses. When an activating antibody against CEAR was used, CEA-induced ERK phosphorylation was mimicked, while downregulation of CEAR by siRNA diminished CEA-induced signal transduction, significantly. To test a biological relevance of our findings, we first measured endothelial cell proliferation: CEA led to a dose dependent increase in endothelial cell proliferation in vitro, which again revealed a synergistic effect with VEGF. Thereby, CEA-induced endothelial cell proliferation was again independent of VEGFR-2 / flk-1. A biological role of CEA in tumor-angiogenesis was reflected by an in vivo model using CEA Mimotope immunized BALB/c mice, which were transplanted with MethA/CEA overexpressing tumor cells. Immunohistological analyses of these tumors revealed a significantly reduced vascular density, which was accompanied with diminished tumor growth. Our data provide first evidence of CEA as a novel pro-angiogenic activator of endothelial cells, which results in an increase in endothelial cell proliferation, independent of VEGFR-2. Furthermore, by targeting CEA in an in vivo mouse model, tumor-angiogenesis was markley reduced, indicating a potential therapeutic target in cancer.


Blood ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 118 (21) ◽  
pp. 1145-1145
Author(s):  
Manfai Lee ◽  
Jonathan Baza ◽  
George M. Rodgers

Abstract Abstract 1145 Severe plasma ADAMTS13 deficiency results in the clinical disorder thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. However, other potential pathophysiological roles of ADAMTS13 in endothelial cell biology remain unexplored. To assess the possible role of ADAMTS13 in angiogenesis, cell proliferation and migration of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were studied in vitro. ADAMTS13 was found to be a highly potent chemoattractant, and additionally was capable of neutralizing VEGF activity in two angiogenesis assays-cell proliferation and cell migration. In the Boyden chamber cell migration assay, treatment of endothelial cells with exogenous recombinant ADAMTS13 promoted cell migration in a dose-dependent manner, with 1 ng/mL increasing cell migration across a gelatinized polycarbonate membrane by 14-fold. In the same model, 5 ng/mL VEGF165 (molar ratio of ADAMTS13:VEGF165 = 1/19) only increased cell migration by 7 fold. A steady decrease in endothelial cell migration was observed when the concentration of ADAMTS13 exceeded 1 ng/mL (Figure 1). Coincubation of 30 ng/mL ADAMTS13 with 6.16 ng/mL VEGF165 (molar ratio of ADAMTS13/VEGF165 = 1.3/1) inhibited endothelial cell migration by 45% compared to VEGF alone (Figure 2). A second model using an in vitro scratch-wound assay confirmed the Boyden chamber data. Substitution of ADAMTS13 with ADAM17, an analog of ADAMTS13 without the thrombospondin domain reversed the inhibition of VEGF-mediated cell migration, suggesting that the thrombospondin domain of ADAMTS13 is responsible for the inhibitory interaction with VEGF165. This finding was in agreement with our previously published co-immunoprecipitation assay data (Blood 2010, 116, 4307). Similar patterns of inhibition were observed with VEGF121 and VEGF189, indicating that other isoforms of VEGF may interact with the TSP domain of ADAMTS13. Using a manual proliferation assay method, HUVEC treated with 30 ng/mL ADAMTS13 and 6.16 ng/mL VEGF165 proliferated 40% slower than the control treated with VEGF alone. Combined with our findings on the inhibition of endothelial cell-tube formation in a Matrigel assay with ADAMTS13 and VEGF165 previously reported, our cumulative data suggest that 1) ADAMTS13 promotes angiogenesis by increasing cell migration and 2) ADAMTS13 can modulate VEGF-mediated angiogenic activities. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


Blood ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 83 (8) ◽  
pp. 2145-2152 ◽  
Author(s):  
VC Broudy ◽  
NL Kovach ◽  
LG Bennett ◽  
N Lin ◽  
FW Jacobsen ◽  
...  

Abstract Stem cell factor (SCF) is a hematopoietic growth factor produced by fibroblasts and endothelial cells that stimulates the growth of primitive hematopoietic cells. SCF triggers cell growth by binding to the c-kit receptor. Because endothelial cells can respond to certain hematopoietic growth factors, we tested human umbilical vein endothelial cells for display of the c-kit receptor and examined the effect of SCF on endothelial cell proliferation, adhesion molecule expression, and production of tissue factor. Quantitative binding experiments with 125I-SCF showed both high-affinity (Kd = 42 pmol/L) and low-affinity (Kd = 1.7 nmol/L) c-kit receptors. There were approximately 1,100 high-affinity c-kit receptors, and 5,400 low- affinity c-kit receptors per endothelial cell. Enzyme immunoassays showed that endothelial cells released soluble c-kit receptor and SCF. The transmembrane form of SCF was detected by indirect immunofluorescence analysis using monoclonal or polyclonal anti-SCF receptor antibodies. The addition of SCF (100 ng/mL) did not alter endothelial cell proliferation over a 7-day period. Similarly, there was no change in the release of tissue factor or expression of inducible endothelial adhesion molecules (intercellular adhesion molecule-1, endothelial-leukocyte adhesion molecule-1, and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1) measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay at 4 and 24 hours after SCF addition. The neutralizing anti-c-kit receptor monoclonal antibody SR-1 blocked binding of 125I-SCF to the c- kit receptor by 98% but did not alter endothelial cell proliferation or adhesion-molecule expression. c-kit receptors were also detected on adult endothelial cells lining small blood vessels in normal human lymph nodes. These data indicate that normal human endothelial cells produce SCF and show high-affinity c-kit receptors that have the capacity to dimerize. The lack of response to exogenous SCF may be because of intracellular activation of the c-kit receptor via autocrine production of SCF. Alternatively, SCF and c-kit may play a role other than stimulation of proliferation, adhesion-molecule display, or tissue factor production by endothelial cells. The production of soluble c-kit receptors by normal human endothelial cells may serve to regulate the bioactivity of SCF within the bone marrow microenvironment.


2004 ◽  
Vol 36 (12) ◽  
pp. 845-850 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei-Hong Hou ◽  
Tian-Yun Wagn ◽  
Bao-Mei Yuan ◽  
Yu-Rong Chai ◽  
Yan-Long Jia ◽  
...  

Abstract Human canstatin, a 24 kD fragment of the α2 chain of type IV collagen, has been proved to be one of the most effective inhibitors of angiogenesis and tumor growth. To investigate in vivo antiangiogenesis activity and in vitro effects on endothelial cell proliferation of recombinant mouse canstatin, the cDNA of mouse canstatin was introduced into an expression vector pQE40 to construct a prokaryotic expression vector pQE-mCan. The recombinant mouse canstatin efficiently expressed in E. coli M15 after IPTG induction was monitored by SDS-PAGE and by Western blotting with an anti-hexahistidine tag antibody. The expressed mouse canstatin, mainly as inclusion bodies, accounted for approximately 35% of the total bacterial proteins. The inclusion bodies were washed, lysed and purified by the nickel affinity chromatography to a purity of approximately 93%. The refolded mouse canstatin was tested on the chicken embryo chorioallantoic membranes (CAM), and a large number of newly formed blood vessels were significantly regressed. In addition, recombinant mouse canstatin potently inhibited endothelial cell proliferation with no inhibition on non-endothelial cells. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that the recombinant mouse canstatin effectively inhibited angiogenesis of the chicken embryo in a dose-dependent manner and specially suppressed in vitro the proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells.


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