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Nöth J, Busch W, Tal T, Lai C, Ambekar A, Kießling TR, Scholz S. Analysis of vascular disruption in zebrafish embryos as an endpoint to predict developmental toxicity. Arch Toxicol 2024; 98:537-549. [PMID: 38129683 PMCID: PMC10794345 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-023-03633-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Inhibition of angiogenesis is an important mode of action for the teratogenic effect of chemicals and drugs. There is a gap in the availability of simple, experimental screening models for the detection of angiogenesis inhibition. The zebrafish embryo represents an alternative test system which offers the complexity of developmental differentiation of an entire organism while allowing for small-scale and high-throughput screening. Here we present a novel automated imaging-based method to detect the inhibition of angiogenesis in early life stage zebrafish. Video subtraction was used to identify the location and number of functional intersegmental vessels according to the detection of moving blood cells. By exposing embryos to multiple tyrosine kinase inhibitors including SU4312, SU5416, Sorafenib, or PTK787, we confirmed that this method can detect concentration-dependent inhibition of angiogenesis. Parallel assessment of arterial and venal aorta ruled out a potential bias by impaired heart or blood cell development. In contrast, the histone deacetylase inhibitor valproic acid did not affect ISV formation supporting the specificity of the angiogenic effects. The new test method showed higher sensitivity, i.e. lower effect concentrations, relative to a fluorescent reporter gene strain (Tg(KDR:EGFP)) exposed to the same tyrosine kinase inhibitors indicating that functional effects due to altered tubulogenesis or blood transport can be detected before structural changes of the endothelium are visible by fluorescence imaging. Comparison of exposure windows indicated higher specificity for angiogenesis when exposure started at later embryonic stages (24 h post-fertilization). One of the test compounds was showing particularly high specificity for angiogenesis effects (SU4312) and was, therefore, suggested as a model compound for the identification of molecular markers of angiogenic disruption. Our findings establish video imaging in wild-type strains as viable, non-invasive, high-throughput method for the detection of chemical-induced angiogenic disruption in zebrafish embryos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Nöth
- Department of Bioanalytical Ecotoxicology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Permoserstraβe 15, 04318, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Wibke Busch
- Department of Bioanalytical Ecotoxicology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Permoserstraβe 15, 04318, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Tamara Tal
- Department of Bioanalytical Ecotoxicology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Permoserstraβe 15, 04318, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Chih Lai
- University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - Akhil Ambekar
- University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN, USA
- Duke University, A.I. Health Fellow-Associate in Research, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | - Stefan Scholz
- Department of Bioanalytical Ecotoxicology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Permoserstraβe 15, 04318, Leipzig, Germany
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2
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Bharati J, Kumar S, Mohan NH, Pegu SR, Borah S, Gupta VK, Sarkar M. CRISPR/Cas genome editing revealed non-angiogenic role of VEGFA gene in porcine luteal cells: a preliminary report. Mol Biol Rep 2024; 51:195. [PMID: 38270707 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-023-09115-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The angiogenic cytokine vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) also exerts non-angiogenic effects on endocrine functionality of porcine luteal cells critical for progesterone (P4) production. METHOD AND RESULTS The expression dynamics of VEGFA-FLT/KDR system were investigated using RT-qPCR during luteal stages and VEGFA gene knock out (KO) porcine luteal cells were generated using CRISPR/Cas9 technology. The downstream effects of VEGFA ablation were studied using RT-qPCR, Annexin V, MTT, ELISA for P4 estimation and scratch wound assay. Bioinformatics analysis of RNA-Seq data of porcine mid-luteal stage was conducted for exploring protein-protein interaction network, KEGG pathways, transcription factors and kinase mapping for VEGFA-FLT/KDR interactomes. The VEGFA-FLT/KDR system expressed throughout the luteal stages with highest expression during mid- luteal stage. Cellular morphology, structure and oil-red-o staining for lipid droplets did not differ significantly between VEGFA KO and wild type cells, however, VEGFA KO significantly decreased (p < 0.05) viability and proliferation efficiency of edited cells on subsequent passages. Expression of apoptotic gene, CASP3 and hypoxia related gene, HIF1A were significantly (p < 0.05) upregulated in KO cells. The relative mRNA expression of VEGFA and steroidogenic genes STAR, CYP11A1 and HSD3B1 decreased significantly (p < 0.05) upon KO, which was further validated by the significant (p < 0.05) decrease in P4 output from KO cells. Bioinformatics analysis mapped VEGFA-FLT/KDR system to signalling pathways associated with steroidogenic cell functionality and survival, which complemented the findings of the study. CONCLUSION The ablation of VEGFA gene resulted in decreased steroidogenic capability of luteal cells, which suggests that VEGFA exerts additional non-angiogenic regulatory effects in luteal cell functionality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaya Bharati
- ICAR-National Research Centre on Pig, Rani, Guwahati, Assam, 781131, India.
- Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Uttar Pradesh, 243122, India.
| | - Satish Kumar
- ICAR-National Research Centre on Pig, Rani, Guwahati, Assam, 781131, India
| | - N H Mohan
- ICAR-National Research Centre on Pig, Rani, Guwahati, Assam, 781131, India
| | - Seema Rani Pegu
- ICAR-National Research Centre on Pig, Rani, Guwahati, Assam, 781131, India
| | - Sanjib Borah
- Lakhimpur College of Veterinary Science, Assam Agricultural University, North Lakhimpur, Assam, India
| | - Vivek Kumar Gupta
- Lakhimpur College of Veterinary Science, Assam Agricultural University, North Lakhimpur, Assam, India
| | - Mihir Sarkar
- ICAR-National Research Centre On Yak, Dirang, Arunachal Pradesh, 790101, India.
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3
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Zhang Y, Liu G, Tao M, Ning H, Guo W, Yin G, Gao W, Feng L, Gu J, Xie Z, Huang Z. Integrated transcriptome study of the tumor microenvironment for treatment response prediction in male predominant hypopharyngeal carcinoma. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1466. [PMID: 36928331 PMCID: PMC10020474 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37159-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The efficacy of the first-line treatment for hypopharyngeal carcinoma (HPC), a predominantly male cancer, at advanced stage is only about 50% without reliable molecular indicators for its prognosis. In this study, HPC biopsy samples collected before and after the first-line treatment are classified into different groups according to treatment responses. We analyze the changes of HPC tumor microenvironment (TME) at the single-cell level in response to the treatment and identify three gene modules associated with advanced HPC prognosis. We estimate cell constitutions based on bulk RNA-seq of our HPC samples and build a binary classifier model based on non-malignant cell subtype abundance in TME, which can be used to accurately identify treatment-resistant advanced HPC patients in time and enlarge the possibility to preserve their laryngeal function. In summary, we provide a useful approach to identify gene modules and a classifier model as reliable indicators to predict treatment responses in HPC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Zhang
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Key Laboratory of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery (Capital Medical University), Ministry of Education, 100730, Beijing, China.
| | - Gan Liu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Bioinformatics Division, Center for Synthetic and System Biology, Department of Automation, Beijing National Research Center for Information Science and Technology, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China.
- Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China.
| | - Minzhen Tao
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Bioinformatics Division, Center for Synthetic and System Biology, Department of Automation, Beijing National Research Center for Information Science and Technology, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China
| | - Hui Ning
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Bioinformatics Division, Center for Synthetic and System Biology, Department of Automation, Beijing National Research Center for Information Science and Technology, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Guo
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Key Laboratory of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery (Capital Medical University), Ministry of Education, 100730, Beijing, China
| | - Gaofei Yin
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Key Laboratory of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery (Capital Medical University), Ministry of Education, 100730, Beijing, China
| | - Wen Gao
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Key Laboratory of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery (Capital Medical University), Ministry of Education, 100730, Beijing, China
| | - Lifei Feng
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Key Laboratory of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery (Capital Medical University), Ministry of Education, 100730, Beijing, China
| | - Jin Gu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Bioinformatics Division, Center for Synthetic and System Biology, Department of Automation, Beijing National Research Center for Information Science and Technology, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China
| | - Zhen Xie
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Bioinformatics Division, Center for Synthetic and System Biology, Department of Automation, Beijing National Research Center for Information Science and Technology, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China.
| | - Zhigang Huang
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Key Laboratory of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery (Capital Medical University), Ministry of Education, 100730, Beijing, China.
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4
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Funato N. Craniofacial Phenotypes and Genetics of DiGeorge Syndrome. J Dev Biol 2022; 10:jdb10020018. [PMID: 35645294 PMCID: PMC9149807 DOI: 10.3390/jdb10020018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The 22q11.2 deletion is one of the most common genetic microdeletions, affecting approximately 1 in 4000 live births in humans. A 1.5 to 2.5 Mb hemizygous deletion of chromosome 22q11.2 causes DiGeorge syndrome (DGS) and velocardiofacial syndrome (VCFS). DGS/VCFS are associated with prevalent cardiac malformations, thymic and parathyroid hypoplasia, and craniofacial defects. Patients with DGS/VCFS manifest craniofacial anomalies involving the cranium, cranial base, jaws, pharyngeal muscles, ear-nose-throat, palate, teeth, and cervical spine. Most craniofacial phenotypes of DGS/VCFS are caused by proximal 1.5 Mb microdeletions, resulting in a hemizygosity of coding genes, microRNAs, and long noncoding RNAs. TBX1, located on chromosome 22q11.21, encodes a T-box transcription factor and is a candidate gene for DGS/VCFS. TBX1 regulates the fate of progenitor cells in the cranial and pharyngeal apparatus during embryogenesis. Tbx1-null mice exhibit the most clinical features of DGS/VCFS, including craniofacial phenotypes. Despite the frequency of DGS/VCFS, there has been a limited review of the craniofacial phenotypes of DGC/VCFS. This review focuses on these phenotypes and summarizes the current understanding of the genetic factors that impact DGS/VCFS-related phenotypes. We also review DGS/VCFS mouse models that have been designed to better understand the pathogenic processes of DGS/VCFS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noriko Funato
- Department of Signal Gene Regulation, Advanced Therapeutic Sciences, Medical and Dental Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), Tokyo 113-8510, Japan
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5
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Lauschke K, Volpini L, Liu Y, Vinggaard AM, Hall VJ. A Comparative Assessment of Marker Expression Between Cardiomyocyte Differentiation of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells and the Developing Pig Heart. Stem Cells Dev 2021; 30:374-385. [PMID: 33599158 DOI: 10.1089/scd.2020.0184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The course of differentiation of pluripotent stem cells into cardiomyocytes and the intermediate cell types are characterized using molecular markers for different stages of development. These markers have been selected primarily from studies in the mouse and from a limited number of human studies. However, it is not clear how well mouse cardiogenesis compares with human cardiogenesis at the molecular level. We tackle this issue by analyzing and comparing the expression of common cardiomyogenesis markers [platelet-derived growth factor receptor, alpha polypeptide (PDGFR-α), fetal liver kinase 1 (FLK1), ISL1, NK2 homeobox 5 (NKX2.5), cardiac troponin T (CTNT), connexin43 (CX43), and myosin heavy chain 7 (MYHC-B)] in the developing pig heart at embryonic day (E)15, E16, E18, E20, E22, and E24 and in differentiating cardiomyocytes from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). We found that porcine expression of the mesoderm marker FLK1 and the cardiac progenitor marker ISL1 was in line with our differentiating hiPSC and reported murine expression. The cardiac lineage marker NKX2.5 was expressed at almost all stages in the pig and hiPSC, with an earlier onset in the hiPSC compared with reported murine expression. Markers of immature cardiomyocytes, CTNT, and MYHC-B were consistently expressed throughout E16-E70 in the pig, which is comparable with mouse development, whereas the markers increased over time in the hiPSC. However, the commonly used mature cardiomyocyte marker, CX43, should be used with caution, as it was also expressed in the pig mesoderm, as well as hiPSC immature cardiomyocytes, while this has not been reported in mice. Based on our observations in the various species, we suggest to use FLK1/PDGFR-α for identifying cardiac mesoderm and ISL1/NKX2.5 for cardiac progenitors. Furthermore, a combination of two or more of the following, CTNT+/MYHC-B+/ISL1+ could mark immature cardiomyocytes and CTNT+/ISL1- mature cardiomyocytes. CX43 should be used together with sarcomeric proteins. This knowledge may help improving differentiation of hiPSC into more in vivo-like cardiac tissue in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin Lauschke
- National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark.,Department for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Luca Volpini
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Yong Liu
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Anne Marie Vinggaard
- National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Vanessa Jane Hall
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
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6
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Tsai CY, Yeh PT, Tsao PN, Chung YCE, Chang YS, Lai TT. Neurodevelopmental Outcomes after Bevacizumab Treatment for Retinopathy of Prematurity: A Meta-analysis. Ophthalmology 2020; 128:877-888. [PMID: 33212122 DOI: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2020.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2020] [Revised: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To evaluate neurodevelopmental outcomes after intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) therapy in retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) infants compared with those not exposed to IVB. CLINICAL RELEVANCE The primary concern regarding IVB treatment of ROP is the potential systemic side effects, especially the risk of causing severe neurodevelopmental impairment (sNDI). Results regarding neurodevelopmental outcomes after IVB therapy are conflicting. METHODS We conducted a meta-analysis and searched PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science for related publications from inception through March 12, 2020. The eligibility criteria were as follows: comparative studies of ROP patients that (1) included IVB as a treatment arm, (2) included a control group without bevacizumab treatment, and (3) reported on at least 1 neurodevelopmental outcome, such as sNDI, Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (Bayley III), composition scores, or cerebral palsy (CP). The primary outcome was sNDI, with the odds ratio (OR) calculated. Secondary outcomes were mean differences (MDs) for cognitive, language, and motor scores (Bayley III) and OR for CP. The quality of evidence was assessed using the Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach. RESULTS Eight studies, 6 including laser-controlled ROP infants and 2 including ROP infants not requiring treatment, were included. The weighted OR for sNDI in the IVB group was 1.39 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.98-1.97). The weighted MDs were -1.92 (95% CI, -4.73 to 0.88), -1.32 (95% CI, -4.65 to 1.99), and -3.66 (95% CI, -6.79 to -0.54) for cognitive, language, and motor scores in Bayley III, respectively. The OR for CP was 1.20 (95% CI, 0.56-2.55). No differences were observed between the preset subgroups comprising laser-controlled ROP infants and ROP infants not requiring treatment. The current quality of evidence was rated as low (sNDI and all Bayley III scores) to very low (CP). CONCLUSIONS Risk of sNDI was not increased in ROP patients after IVB treatment. Bayley III scores were similar in the IVB and control groups, except for a minor difference in motor performance. These findings suggest that the risk of additional sNDI after IVB treatment is low. Randomized trials are warranted to provide a higher quality of evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chia-Ying Tsai
- Department of Ophthalmology, Fu Jen Catholic University Hospital, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan; School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan; Department of Ophthalmology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Po-Ting Yeh
- Department of Ophthalmology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Po-Nien Tsao
- Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Research Center for Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Chu Ella Chung
- Center for Neuropsychiatric Research, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Shan Chang
- Department of Pediatrics, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Tso-Ting Lai
- Department of Ophthalmology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
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7
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Barber M, Andrews WD, Memi F, Gardener P, Ciantar D, Tata M, Ruhrberg C, Parnavelas JG. Vascular-Derived Vegfa Promotes Cortical Interneuron Migration and Proximity to the Vasculature in the Developing Forebrain. Cereb Cortex 2019; 28:2577-2593. [PMID: 29901792 PMCID: PMC5998991 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhy082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Vascular endothelial growth factor (Vegfa) is essential for promoting the vascularization of the embryonic murine forebrain. In addition, it directly influences neural development, although its role in the forming forebrain is less well elucidated. It was recently suggested that Vegfa may influence the development of GABAergic interneurons, inhibitory cells with crucial signaling roles in cortical neuronal circuits. However, the mechanism by which it affects interneuron development remains unknown. Here we investigated the developmental processes by which Vegfa may influence cortical interneuron development by analyzing transgenic mice that ubiquitously express the Vegfa120 isoform to perturb its signaling gradient. We found that interneurons reach the dorsal cortex at mid phases of corticogenesis despite an aberrant vascular network. Instead, endothelial ablation of Vegfa alters cortical interneuron numbers, their intracortical distribution and spatial proximity to blood vessels. We show for the first time that vascular-secreted guidance factors promote early-migrating interneurons in the intact forebrain in vivo and identify a novel role for vascular-Vegfa in this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Barber
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, UK
| | - William D Andrews
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Fani Memi
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Phillip Gardener
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Daniel Ciantar
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Mathew Tata
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - John G Parnavelas
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, UK
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8
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Darden J, Payne LB, Zhao H, Chappell JC. Excess vascular endothelial growth factor-A disrupts pericyte recruitment during blood vessel formation. Angiogenesis 2018; 22:167-183. [PMID: 30238211 DOI: 10.1007/s10456-018-9648-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2018] [Accepted: 09/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Pericyte investment into new blood vessels is essential for vascular development such that mis-regulation within this phase of vessel formation can contribute to numerous pathologies including arteriovenous and cerebrovascular malformations. It is critical therefore to illuminate how angiogenic signaling pathways intersect to regulate pericyte migration and investment. Here, we disrupted vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) signaling in ex vivo and in vitro models of sprouting angiogenesis, and found pericyte coverage to be compromised during VEGF-A perturbations. Pericytes had little to no expression of VEGF receptors, suggesting VEGF-A signaling defects affect endothelial cells directly but pericytes indirectly. Live imaging of ex vivo angiogenesis in mouse embryonic skin revealed limited pericyte migration during exposure to exogenous VEGF-A. During VEGF-A gain-of-function conditions, pericytes and endothelial cells displayed abnormal transcriptional changes within the platelet-derived growth factor-B (PDGF-B) and Notch pathways. To further test potential crosstalk between these pathways in pericytes, we stimulated embryonic pericytes with Notch ligands Delta-like 4 (Dll4) and Jagged-1 (Jag1) and found induction of Notch pathway activity but no changes in PDGF Receptor-β (Pdgfrβ) expression. In contrast, PDGFRβ protein levels decreased with mis-regulated VEGF-A activity, observed in the effects on full-length PDGFRβ and a truncated PDGFRβ isoform generated by proteolytic cleavage or potentially by mRNA splicing. Overall, these observations support a model in which, during the initial stages of vascular development, pericyte distribution and coverage are indirectly affected by endothelial cell VEGF-A signaling and the downstream regulation of PDGF-B-PDGFRβ dynamics, without substantial involvement of pericyte Notch signaling during these early stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan Darden
- Center for Heart and Regenerative Medicine, Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute, 2 Riverside Circle, Roanoke, VA, 24016, USA.,Graduate Program in Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA
| | - Laura Beth Payne
- Center for Heart and Regenerative Medicine, Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute, 2 Riverside Circle, Roanoke, VA, 24016, USA
| | - Huaning Zhao
- Center for Heart and Regenerative Medicine, Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute, 2 Riverside Circle, Roanoke, VA, 24016, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA
| | - John C Chappell
- Center for Heart and Regenerative Medicine, Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute, 2 Riverside Circle, Roanoke, VA, 24016, USA. .,Graduate Program in Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA. .,Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA. .,Department of Basic Science Education, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, Roanoke, VA, 24016, USA.
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9
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Kowalczuk O, Laudanski J, Laudanski W, Niklinska WE, Kozlowski M, Niklinski J. Lymphatics-associated genes are downregulated at transcription level in non-small cell lung cancer. Oncol Lett 2018; 15:6752-6762. [PMID: 29849784 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2018.8159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2017] [Accepted: 10/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study aimed to verify a possibility of ongoing lymphangiogenesis in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) via examination of mRNA levels of a number of lymphangiogenesis-associated genes in tumors. It was hypothesized that transcriptional activation of these genes would occur in tumors that stimulate new lymphatic vessel formation. The study was performed on 140 pairs of fresh-frozen surgical specimens of cancer and unaffected lung tissues derived from NSCLC stage I-IIIA patients. mRNA levels were evaluated with the reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction method and expressed as fold change differences between the tumor and normal tissues. Possible associations between expression and patient clinicopathological characteristics and survival were analyzed. In the NSCLC tissue samples, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) C, VEGFD, VEGFR3, VEGFR2, VEGFR1, lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronan receptor 1, integrin subunit α 9, FOX2, neuropilin 2, fibroblast growth factor 2 genes were significantly downregulated (P<0.001 for all) compared with matched normal lung tissues, whereas mRNA levels for VEGFA, spleen associated tyrosine kinase, podoplanin, and prospero homeobox 1 genes were similar in both tissues. Neither lymph node status, nor disease pathological stage influenced expression, whereas more profound suppression of gene activities appeared to occur in squamous cell carcinomas compared with adenocarcinomas. The VEGFR1 mRNA expression level was significantly connected with patient survival in the univariate analysis, and was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival in the multivariate Cox's proportional hazards model (HR 2.103; 95% confidence interval: 1.005-4.401; P=0.049). The results support a hypothesis of absence of new lymphatic vessel formation inside growing NSCLC tumor mass, however do not exclude a possibility of lymphangiogenesis in narrow marginal tumor parts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oksana Kowalczuk
- Department of Clinical Molecular Biology, Medical University of Bialystok, 15-269 Bialystok, Poland
| | - Jerzy Laudanski
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Bialystok, 15-269 Bialystok, Poland
| | - Wojciech Laudanski
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Bialystok, 15-269 Bialystok, Poland
| | - Wieslawa Ewa Niklinska
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Medical University of Bialystok, 15-269 Bialystok, Poland
| | - Miroslaw Kozlowski
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Bialystok, 15-269 Bialystok, Poland
| | - Jacek Niklinski
- Department of Clinical Molecular Biology, Medical University of Bialystok, 15-269 Bialystok, Poland
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10
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Choi HS, Kim MK, Lee K, Lee KM, Choi YK, Shin YC, Cho SG, Ko SG. SH003 represses tumor angiogenesis by blocking VEGF binding to VEGFR2. Oncotarget 2018; 7:32969-79. [PMID: 27105528 PMCID: PMC5078067 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.8808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2015] [Accepted: 03/31/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumor angiogenesis is a key feature of cancer progression, because a tumor requires abundant oxygen and nutrition to grow. Here, we demonstrate that SH003, a mixed herbal extract containing Astragalus membranaceus (Am), Angelica gigas (Ag) and Trichosanthes Kirilowii Maximowicz (Tk), represses VEGF-induced tumor angiogenesis both in vitro and in vivo. SH003 inhibited VEGF-induced migration, invasion and tube formation in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) with no effect on the proliferation. SH003 reduced CD31-positive vessel numbers in tumor tissues and retarded tumor growth in our xenograft mouse tumor model, while SH003 did not affect pancreatic tumor cell viability. Consistently, SH003 inhibited VEGF-stimulated vascular permeability in ears and back skins. Moreover, SH003 inhibited VEGF-induced VEGFR2-dependent signaling by blocking VEGF binding to VEGFR2. Therefore, our data conclude that SH003 represses tumor angiogenesis by inhibiting VEGF-induced VEGFR2 activation, and suggest that SH003 may be useful for treating cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyeong Sim Choi
- Department of Science in Korean Medicine, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Min Kyoung Kim
- Department of Science in Korean Medicine, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Kangwook Lee
- Department of Science in Korean Medicine, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Kang Min Lee
- Department of Science in Korean Medicine, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Youn Kyung Choi
- Jeju International Marine Science Center for Research and Education, Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology (KIOST), Jeju, Korea
| | - Yong Cheol Shin
- Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Sung-Gook Cho
- Department of Biotechnology, Korea National University of Transportation, Jeungpyeong, Chungbuk, Korea
| | - Seong-Gyu Ko
- Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea
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11
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Wang Q, Xu B, Du J, Xu X, Shang C, Wang X, Wang J. MicroRNA-139-5p/Flt1/Wnt/β-catenin regulatory crosstalk modulates the progression of glioma. Int J Mol Med 2018; 41:2139-2149. [PMID: 29393392 PMCID: PMC5810245 DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2018.3439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2016] [Accepted: 01/16/2018] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Fms-related tyrosine kinase 1 (Flt1), the receptor of VEGF/PIGF, is associated with cancer angiogenesis and tumorigenesis. Although the high expression of Flt1 in glioma is identified, its regulatory mechanism remains unclear. In the present study, we demonstrate that miR-139-5p inhibits Flt1 expression mediated by binding its 3′ untranslated region (3′UTR) to regulate the progression of human glioma. We found miR-139-5p was downregulated in glioma tissues compared with normal brain tissues whereas a converse expression level of Flt1 was observed. Additionally we proved that miR-139-5p directly integrated with the 3′UTR of Flt1 via luciferase activity assay and cells transfected with miR-139-5p characterized with a low expression of Flt1 in mRNA and protein levels. Furthermore, we validated that miR-139-5p enforced its biological modulation via targeting Flt1 through rescue experiments. miR-139-5p suppressed and Flt1 stimulated the malignant activities of glioma cells. We demonstrated that miR-139-5p inhibited the Flt1-mediated Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in glioma cells. Conclusively, our study indicated that miR-139-5p can counteract the malignant phenotypes of glioma cells by the inhibitory effect of the Flt1-mediated Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiong Wang
- Tianjin Neurosurgery Institute, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cerebral Vascular and Neural Degenerative Diseases, Tianjin Huanhu Hospital, Tianjin 300060, P.R. China
| | - Bin Xu
- The Graduate School, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300060, P.R. China
| | - Jixiang Du
- The Graduate School, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300060, P.R. China
| | - Xinnv Xu
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin 300060, P.R. China
| | - Chao Shang
- Tianjin Neurosurgery Institute, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cerebral Vascular and Neural Degenerative Diseases, Tianjin Huanhu Hospital, Tianjin 300060, P.R. China
| | - Xiuyu Wang
- The Graduate School, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300060, P.R. China
| | - Jinhuan Wang
- Tianjin Neurosurgery Institute, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cerebral Vascular and Neural Degenerative Diseases, Tianjin Huanhu Hospital, Tianjin 300060, P.R. China
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12
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Castañeda-Cabral JL, Beas-Zarate C, Gudiño-Cabrera G, Ureña-Guerrero ME. Glutamate Neonatal Excitotoxicity Modifies VEGF-A, VEGF-B, VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2 Protein Expression Profiles During Postnatal Development of the Cerebral Cortex and Hippocampus of Male Rats. J Mol Neurosci 2017; 63:17-27. [PMID: 28755050 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-017-0952-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2017] [Accepted: 07/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) exerts both neuroprotective and proinflammatory effects in the brain, depending on the VEGF (A-E) and VEGF receptor (VEGFR1-3) types involved. Neonatal monosodium glutamate (MSG) treatment triggers an excitotoxic degenerative process associated with several neuropathological conditions, and VEGF messenger RNA (mRNA) expression is increased at postnatal day (PD) 14 in rat hippocampus (Hp) following the treatment. The aim of this work was to establish the changes in immunoreactivity to VEGF-A, VEGF-B, VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2 proteins induced by neonatal MSG treatment (4 g/kg, subcutaneous, at PD1, 3, 5 and 7) in the cerebral motor cortex (CMC) and Hp. Samples collected from PD2 to PD60 from control and MSG-treated male Wistar rats were assessed by western blotting for each protein. Considering that immunoreactivity measured by western blotting is related to the protein expression level, we found that each protein in each cerebral region has a specific expression profile throughout the studied ages, and all profiles were differentially modified by MSG. Specifically, neonatal MSG treatment significantly increased the immunoreactivity to the following: (1) VEGF-A at PD8-PD10 in the CMC and at PD6-PD8 in the Hp; (2) VEGF-B at PD2, PD6 and PD10 in the CMC and at PD8-PD9 in the Hp; and (3) VEGFR-2 at PD6-PD8 in the CMC and at PD21-PD60 in the Hp. Also, MSG significantly reduced the immunoreactivity to the following: (1) VEGF-B at PD8-PD9 and PD45-PD60 in the CMC; and (2) VEGFR-1 at PD4-PD6 and PD14-PD21 in the CMC and at PD4, PD9-PD10 and PD60 in the Hp. Our results indicate that VEGF-mediated signalling is involved in the excitotoxic process triggered by neonatal MSG treatment and should be further characterized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose Luis Castañeda-Cabral
- Departamento de Biología Celular y Molecular, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias (CUCBA), Universidad de Guadalajara, Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Carlos Beas-Zarate
- Departamento de Biología Celular y Molecular, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias (CUCBA), Universidad de Guadalajara, Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico. .,Laboratorio de Regeneración y Desarrollo Neural, Departamento de Biología Celular y Molecular, CUCBA, Universidad de Guadalajara, Km 15.5 Carretera a Nogales, Camino Ing. Ramón Padilla Sánchez Km 2, 45221, Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico.
| | - Graciela Gudiño-Cabrera
- Departamento de Biología Celular y Molecular, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias (CUCBA), Universidad de Guadalajara, Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Monica E Ureña-Guerrero
- Departamento de Biología Celular y Molecular, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias (CUCBA), Universidad de Guadalajara, Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico. .,Laboratorio de Biología de la Neurotransmisión, Edificio de Posgrado, Departamento de Biología Celular y Molecular, CUCBA, Universidad de Guadalajara, Km 15.5 Carretera a Nogales, Camino Ing. Ramón Padilla Sánchez Km 2, 45221, Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico.
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13
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Periodontal tissue regeneration using the cytokine cocktail mimicking secretomes in the conditioned media from human mesenchymal stem cells. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2017; 484:100-106. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2017.01.065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2017] [Accepted: 01/14/2017] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
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14
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Shin J, Watanabe S, Hoelper S, Krüger M, Kostin S, Pöling J, Kubin T, Braun T. BRAF activates PAX3 to control muscle precursor cell migration during forelimb muscle development. eLife 2016; 5. [PMID: 27906130 PMCID: PMC5148607 DOI: 10.7554/elife.18351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2016] [Accepted: 11/30/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Migration of skeletal muscle precursor cells is a key step during limb muscle development and depends on the activity of PAX3 and MET. Here, we demonstrate that BRAF serves a crucial function in formation of limb skeletal muscles during mouse embryogenesis downstream of MET and acts as a potent inducer of myoblast cell migration. We found that a fraction of BRAF accumulates in the nucleus after activation and endosomal transport to a perinuclear position. Mass spectrometry based screening for potential interaction partners revealed that BRAF interacts and phosphorylates PAX3. Mutation of BRAF dependent phosphorylation sites in PAX3 impaired the ability of PAX3 to promote migration of C2C12 myoblasts indicating that BRAF directly activates PAX3. Since PAX3 stimulates transcription of the Met gene we propose that MET signaling via BRAF fuels a positive feedback loop, which maintains high levels of PAX3 and MET activity required for limb muscle precursor cell migration. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.18351.001
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaeyoung Shin
- Max-Planck-Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Shuichi Watanabe
- Max-Planck-Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Soraya Hoelper
- Max-Planck-Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Marcus Krüger
- Max-Planck-Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Sawa Kostin
- Max-Planck-Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Jochen Pöling
- Max-Planck-Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Thomas Kubin
- Max-Planck-Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Thomas Braun
- Max-Planck-Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
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15
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Chappell JC, Cluceru JG, Nesmith JE, Mouillesseaux KP, Bradley VB, Hartland CM, Hashambhoy-Ramsay YL, Walpole J, Peirce SM, Mac Gabhann F, Bautch VL. Flt-1 (VEGFR-1) coordinates discrete stages of blood vessel formation. Cardiovasc Res 2016; 111:84-93. [PMID: 27142980 DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvw091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2015] [Accepted: 03/03/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
AIMS In developing blood vessel networks, the overall level of vessel branching often correlates with angiogenic sprout initiations, but in some pathological situations, increased sprout initiations paradoxically lead to reduced vessel branching and impaired vascular function. We examine the hypothesis that defects in the discrete stages of angiogenesis can uniquely contribute to vessel branching outcomes. METHODS AND RESULTS Time-lapse movies of mammalian blood vessel development were used to define and quantify the dynamics of angiogenic sprouting. We characterized the formation of new functional conduits by classifying discrete sequential stages-sprout initiation, extension, connection, and stability-that are differentially affected by manipulation of vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) signalling via genetic loss of the receptor flt-1 (vegfr1). In mouse embryonic stem cell-derived vessels genetically lacking flt-1, overall branching is significantly decreased while sprout initiations are significantly increased. Flt-1(-/-) mutant sprouts are less likely to retract, and they form increased numbers of connections with other vessels. However, loss of flt-1 also leads to vessel collapse, which reduces the number of new stable conduits. Computational simulations predict that loss of flt-1 results in ectopic Flk-1 signalling in connecting sprouts post-fusion, causing protrusion of cell processes into avascular gaps and collapse of branches. Thus, defects in stabilization of new vessel connections offset increased sprout initiations and connectivity in flt-1(-/-) vascular networks, with an overall outcome of reduced numbers of new conduits. CONCLUSIONS These results show that VEGF-A signalling has stage-specific effects on vascular morphogenesis, and that understanding these effects on dynamic stages of angiogenesis and how they integrate to expand a vessel network may suggest new therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- John C Chappell
- Department of Biology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA Center for Heart and Regenerative Medicine Research, Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute, Roanoke, VA 24014, USA
| | - Julia G Cluceru
- Department of Biology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Jessica E Nesmith
- Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Kevin P Mouillesseaux
- Department of Biology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Vanessa B Bradley
- Center for Heart and Regenerative Medicine Research, Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute, Roanoke, VA 24014, USA
| | - Caitlin M Hartland
- Center for Heart and Regenerative Medicine Research, Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute, Roanoke, VA 24014, USA
| | - Yasmin L Hashambhoy-Ramsay
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Institute for Computational Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Joseph Walpole
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Shayn M Peirce
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Feilim Mac Gabhann
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Institute for Computational Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Victoria L Bautch
- Department of Biology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA McAllister Heart Institute, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
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16
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Jia J, Ye T, Cui P, Hua Q, Zeng H, Zhao D. AP-1 transcription factor mediates VEGF-induced endothelial cell migration and proliferation. Microvasc Res 2016; 105:103-8. [PMID: 26860974 DOI: 10.1016/j.mvr.2016.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2015] [Revised: 01/21/2016] [Accepted: 02/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
VEGF, upon binding to its endothelial cell specific receptors VEGF-R1 and VEGF-R2, can induce endothelial cell migration, proliferation and angiogenesis. However, the molecular mechanism of these effects still remains unclear. In this study, we investigated whether VEGF promotes human umbilical vascular endothelial cell (HUVEC) migration and proliferation through activator protein-1 transcription factor (AP-1) family. We first showed that VEGF induces immediate-early genes AP-1 family gene expression differentially with the profound induction of JunB (both mRNA and protein) under various conditions (PBS, DMSO or control adenoviruses). The increase in AP-1 mRNA expression occurs primarily at the transcriptional level. Inhibition of AP-1 DNA binding activity by adenovirus expressing a potent dominant negative form of c-Fos (Afos) significantly attenuated VEGF-induced HUVEC migration and proliferation and cyclin D1 expression. Knockdown of JunB with adenovirus expressing JunB shRNA reduces VEGF-induced JunB expression and attenuated HUVEC migration. However the shJunB-expressing virus has no effect on VEGF-induced cyclin D1 protein expression and proliferation. These results suggest that VEGF-induced endothelial migration is mediated primarily by induction of JunB whereas the promotion of endothelial proliferation by VEGF is mediated by JunB-independent AP-1 family members.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Jia
- Division of Gastroenterology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02460, USA; Center for Vascular Biology Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02460, USA; School of Preclinical Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Taiyang Ye
- Divison of Molecular and Vascular Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02460, USA; Center for Vascular Biology Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02460, USA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Pengfei Cui
- Divison of Molecular and Vascular Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02460, USA; Center for Vascular Biology Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02460, USA; Department of General Surgery, Pancreatic Disease Institute, Union Hospital, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Qian Hua
- School of Preclinical Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Huiyan Zeng
- Divison of Molecular and Vascular Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02460, USA; Center for Vascular Biology Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02460, USA
| | - Dezheng Zhao
- Division of Gastroenterology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02460, USA; Center for Vascular Biology Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02460, USA.
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17
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Romereim SM, Cupp AS. Mesonephric Cell Migration into the Gonads and Vascularization Are Processes Crucial for Testis Development. Results Probl Cell Differ 2016; 58:67-100. [PMID: 27300176 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-31973-5_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Testis morphogenesis requires the integration and reorganization of multiple cell types from several sources, one of the more notable being the mesonephric-derived cell population. One of the earliest sex-specific morphogenetic events in the gonad is a wave of endothelial cell migration from the mesonephros that is crucial for (1) partitioning the gonad into domains for testis cords, (2) providing the vasculature of the testis, and (3) signaling to cells both within the gonad and beyond it to coordinately regulate testis development. In addition to endothelial cell migration, there is evidence that precursors of peritubular myoid cells migrate from the mesonephros, an event which is also important for testis cord architecture. Investigation of the mesonephric cell migration event has utilized histology, lineage tracing with mouse genetic markers, and many studies of the signaling molecules/pathways involved. Some of the more well-studied signaling molecules involved include vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), and neurotrophins. In this chapter, the morphogenetic events, relevant signaling pathways, mechanisms underlying the migration, and the role of the migratory cells within the testis will be discussed. Overall, the migration of mesonephric cells into the early testis is indispensable for its development and future functionality.
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18
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Sargent KM, McFee RM, Spuri Gomes R, Cupp AS. Vascular endothelial growth factor A: just one of multiple mechanisms for sex-specific vascular development within the testis? J Endocrinol 2015; 227:R31-50. [PMID: 26562337 PMCID: PMC4646736 DOI: 10.1530/joe-15-0342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/16/2015] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Testis development from an indifferent gonad is a critical step in embryogenesis. A hallmark of testis differentiation is sex-specific vascularization that occurs as endothelial cells migrate from the adjacent mesonephros into the testis to surround Sertoli-germ cell aggregates and induce seminiferous cord formation. Many in vitro experiments have demonstrated that vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) is a critical regulator of this process. Both inhibitors to VEGFA signal transduction and excess VEGFA isoforms in testis organ cultures impaired vascular development and seminiferous cord formation. However, in vivo models using mice which selectively eliminated all VEGFA isoforms: in Sertoli and germ cells (pDmrt1-Cre;Vegfa(-/-)); Sertoli and Leydig cells (Amhr2-Cre;Vegfa(-/-)) or Sertoli cells (Amh-Cre;Vegfa(-/-) and Sry-Cre;Vegfa(-/-)) displayed testes with observably normal cords and vasculature at postnatal day 0 and onwards. Embryonic testis development may be delayed in these mice; however, the postnatal data indicate that VEGFA isoforms secreted from Sertoli, Leydig or germ cells are not required for testis morphogenesis within the mouse. A Vegfa signal transduction array was employed on postnatal testes from Sry-Cre;Vegfa(-/-) versus controls. Ptgs1 (Cox1) was the only upregulated gene (fivefold). COX1 stimulates angiogenesis and upregulates, VEGFA, Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and PGD2. Thus, other gene pathways may compensate for VEGFA loss, similar to multiple independent mechanisms to maintain SOX9 expression. Multiple independent mechanism that induce vascular development in the testis may contribute to and safeguard the sex-specific vasculature development responsible for inducing seminiferous cord formation, thus ensuring appropriate testis morphogenesis in the male.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin M Sargent
- Department of Animal ScienceUniversity of Nebraska-Lincoln, Animal Science Building, 3940 Fair Street, Lincoln, Nebraska 68583-0908, USA
| | - Renee M McFee
- Department of Animal ScienceUniversity of Nebraska-Lincoln, Animal Science Building, 3940 Fair Street, Lincoln, Nebraska 68583-0908, USA
| | - Renata Spuri Gomes
- Department of Animal ScienceUniversity of Nebraska-Lincoln, Animal Science Building, 3940 Fair Street, Lincoln, Nebraska 68583-0908, USA
| | - Andrea S Cupp
- Department of Animal ScienceUniversity of Nebraska-Lincoln, Animal Science Building, 3940 Fair Street, Lincoln, Nebraska 68583-0908, USA
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19
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Zhou Z, Zhao C, Wang L, Cao X, Li J, Huang R, Lao Q, Yu H, Li Y, Du H, Qu L, Shou C. A VEGFR1 antagonistic peptide inhibits tumor growth and metastasis through VEGFR1-PI3K-AKT signaling pathway inhibition. Am J Cancer Res 2015; 5:3149-3161. [PMID: 26693066 PMCID: PMC4656737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2015] [Accepted: 09/10/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Angiogenesis is central to the growth of cancers and VEGFR-1/Flt-1 plays an important role during the neovascularization under pathological conditions. We previously founded a VEGFR1 antagonistic peptide, F56, by screening the phage peptide library. We showed that DHFR-F56 chimeric protein displayed anti-tumor activity and inhibited angiogenesis, however the anti-tumor activity of monomeric F56 and the mechanism remain unclear. In this study, we found that the F56 didn't affect VEGF-A induced endothelial cell proliferation, but reduced migration and tube formation of endothelial cells. F56 also inhibited the sprout of rat aortic endothelial cells, the angiogenesis of chicken embryo chorioallantoic membrane as well as the generation of subintestinal vein vessels (SIV) in zebrafish embryos. We found that F56 inhibited VEGF-induced phosphorylation of VEGFR1, as well as the phosphorylation of the downstream of PI3K-AKT axis. However, F56 had no effect on the phosphorylation of VEGFR2. Correlating with these effects, F56 inhibited xenograft growth of HT-29 and MGC-823 cells in BALB/c nude mice, and significantly suppressed the lung metastasis of B16 cells in C57BL/6 mice. Our study demonstrated that monomeric peptide F56 had a significant anti-tumor activity by inhibiting angiogenesis, and laid the foundation for its clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Zhou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Peking University Cancer Hospital & InstituteBeijing, China
| | - Chuanke Zhao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Peking University Cancer Hospital & InstituteBeijing, China
| | - Lixin Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Peking University Cancer Hospital & InstituteBeijing, China
| | | | - Jian Li
- Tasly Holding GroupTianjin, China
| | | | | | - Hangping Yu
- Hunter Biotechnology CorporationHangzhou, China
| | - Yanna Li
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University; Beijing Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood Vessel DiseasesBeijing, China
| | - Haiyan Du
- Drug Clinical Trail Institution, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical UniversityBeijing, China
| | - Like Qu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Peking University Cancer Hospital & InstituteBeijing, China
| | - Chengchao Shou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Peking University Cancer Hospital & InstituteBeijing, China
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20
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Zhang SD, McCrudden CM, Kwok HF. Prognostic significance of combining VEGFA, FLT1 and KDR mRNA expression in lung cancer. Oncol Lett 2015; 10:1893-1901. [PMID: 26622771 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2015.3415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2014] [Accepted: 05/26/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Angiogenesis is important in cancer progression. Promising results in clinical trials have indicated that targeting vascular epidermal growth factor (VEGF) signaling may prolong lung cancer patient survival. In particular, various studies have implicated VEGFA as a potential prognostic marker in lung cancer, although prognostication using the expression of VEGF receptors (VEGFRs), such as fms-related tyrosine kinase 1 (FLT1; also known as VEGFR1) and kinase insert domain receptor (KDR; also known as VEGFR2), has produced varied results in different lung cancer studies. The present study aimed to investigate the prognostic significance of these three factors, alone or in combination. mRNA expression data were extracted from four independent lung cancer cohorts totaling 583 patients, and the association between mRNA expression and survival was investigated by performing statistical analyses. When VEGFA, FLT1 and KDR expression were considered alone, only VEGFA demonstrated a significant association with patient survival consistently across all four datasets (P<0.05). Patients with a high expression of VEGFA and one of the two receptors were associated with significantly worse survival than patients expressing low levels of VEGFA and the particular receptor (P<0.05). Notably, patients with a high level expression of all three genes in their tumor specimens were associated with a significantly shorter survival time compared with patients exhibiting a low level expression of one, two or all three genes (P<0.05). The results indicate that a high level of VEGFA expression and its receptors may be required for cancer progression. Therefore, these three factors should be considered together as a prognostic indicator for lung cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu-Dong Zhang
- Faculty of Health Sciences (E12), University of Macau, Macau SAR, P.R. China ; Center for Cancer Research and Cell Biology and School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Cian M McCrudden
- Center for Cancer Research and Cell Biology and School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Hang Fai Kwok
- Faculty of Health Sciences (E12), University of Macau, Macau SAR, P.R. China ; Center for Cancer Research and Cell Biology and School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK ; Department of Oncology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0XZ, UK
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21
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Guérit S, Allain AE, Léon C, Cazenave W, Ferrara N, Branchereau P, Bikfalvi A. VEGF modulates synaptic activity in the developing spinal cord. Dev Neurobiol 2014; 74:1110-22. [DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2013] [Accepted: 04/25/2014] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Sylvaine Guérit
- Université Bordeaux; Angiogenesis and Tumor Microenvironment Laboratory; F-33615 Pessac Cedex France
- INSERM; Angiogenesis and Tumor Microenvironment Laboratory; F-33615 Pessac Cedex France
| | - Anne-Emilie Allain
- Université Bordeaux, Institut de Neurosciences Cognitives et Intégratives d'Aquitaine (INCIA), UMR 5287; F-33615 Pessac Cedex France
- CNRS; Institut de Neurosciences Cognitives et Intégratives d'Aquitaine (INCIA), UMR 5287; F-33615 Pessac Cedex France
| | - Céline Léon
- Université Bordeaux; Angiogenesis and Tumor Microenvironment Laboratory; F-33615 Pessac Cedex France
- INSERM; Angiogenesis and Tumor Microenvironment Laboratory; F-33615 Pessac Cedex France
| | - William Cazenave
- Université Bordeaux, Institut de Neurosciences Cognitives et Intégratives d'Aquitaine (INCIA), UMR 5287; F-33615 Pessac Cedex France
- CNRS; Institut de Neurosciences Cognitives et Intégratives d'Aquitaine (INCIA), UMR 5287; F-33615 Pessac Cedex France
| | | | - Pascal Branchereau
- Université Bordeaux, Institut de Neurosciences Cognitives et Intégratives d'Aquitaine (INCIA), UMR 5287; F-33615 Pessac Cedex France
- CNRS; Institut de Neurosciences Cognitives et Intégratives d'Aquitaine (INCIA), UMR 5287; F-33615 Pessac Cedex France
| | - Andréas Bikfalvi
- Université Bordeaux; Angiogenesis and Tumor Microenvironment Laboratory; F-33615 Pessac Cedex France
- INSERM; Angiogenesis and Tumor Microenvironment Laboratory; F-33615 Pessac Cedex France
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22
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Liu C, Sun J. Potential application of hydrolyzed fish collagen for inducing the multidirectional differentiation of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. Biomacromolecules 2014; 15:436-43. [PMID: 24359018 DOI: 10.1021/bm401780v] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Hydrolyzed fish collagen (HFC) has recently attracted considerable attention because of its outstanding bioactivity. However, few studies have been performed to determine the biological effects of HFC on bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), which are often used in regenerative medicine. In this study, the molecular weight, amino acid composition, and contact angle of HFC were measured. The influence of HFC on cell viability and the multidirectional differentiation of BMSCs into osteogenic, endothelial, adipogenic, chondrogenic, and neural lineages were also assessed. Furthermore, the mechanism by which HFC promotes osteogenesis was investigated at the protein level. The molecular weight of HFC ranged from 700 to 1300 Da, the contact angle of HFC was approximately 26°, and HFC was found to be composed of various amino acids, including glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline. At a concentration of 0.2 mg/mL, HFC promoted cell viability, and significantly up-regulated the expression of osteogenic markers (RUNX2, ALP, OPN, and OCN), as well as endothelial markers (CD31, VE-cadherin, and VEGFR2). Western blot results indicated that treatment of BMSCs with 0.2 mg/mL HFC could activate the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway and then increase the protein level of RUNX2, while treatment with PD98059, a specific inhibitor of ERK1/2, could significantly inhibit the expression of P-ERK and RUNX2. Interestingly, real-time PCR demonstrated that HFC inhibited the expression of adipogenic markers (LPL and ADFP) and chondrogenic markers (aggrecan and COLII), whereas it had no effect on neural differentiation markers (MAP2 and β3-tubulin). In summary, this study suggests that without the use of any additional inducing reagent, HFC has the potential to actively promote osteogenic and endothelial differentiation because of its high hydrophilicity and the optimal extracellular microenvironment supplied by its amino acids. This research also revealed that HFC inhibited adipogenic and chondrogenic differentiation, but it had no influence on the neural differentiation of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (rBMSCs).
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Liu
- Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Biomaterials Research and Testing Center , Shanghai 200023, China
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23
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Seerapu HR, Borthakur S, Kong N, Agrawal S, Drazba J, Vasanji A, Fantin A, Ruhrberg C, Buck M, Horowitz A. The cytoplasmic domain of neuropilin-1 regulates focal adhesion turnover. FEBS Lett 2013; 587:3392-9. [PMID: 24021649 DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2013.08.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2013] [Accepted: 08/26/2013] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Though the vascular endothelial growth factor coreceptor neuropilin-1 (Nrp1) plays a critical role in vascular development, its precise function is not fully understood. We identified a group of novel binding partners of the cytoplasmic domain of Nrp1 that includes the focal adhesion regulator, Filamin A (FlnA). Endothelial cells (ECs) expressing a Nrp1 mutant devoid of the cytoplasmic domain (nrp1(cyto)(Δ/Δ)) migrated significantly slower in response to VEGF relative to the cells expressing wild-type Nrp1 (nrp1(+/+) cells). The rate of FA turnover in VEGF-treated nrp1(cyto)(Δ/Δ) ECs was an order of magnitude lower in comparison to nrp1(+/+) ECs, thus accounting for the slower migration rate of the nrp1(cyto)(Δ/Δ) ECs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Himabindu Reddy Seerapu
- Department of Molecular Cardiology, Lerner Research Institute, the Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, United States
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24
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Corrêa IP, Ruano R, Takiuti NH, Francisco RPV, Bevilacqua E, Zugaib M. Expression of angiogenic factors in placenta of stressed rats. Reprod Fertil Dev 2012; 24:851-8. [PMID: 22781936 DOI: 10.1071/rd11202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2011] [Accepted: 12/08/2011] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to analyse the influence of stress on pregnant rats, particularly in terms of maternal, placental and fetal weight, placental morphology and placental gene expression of the angiogenic factors Vegfa and Pgf and their receptors. The parameters were evaluated on gestation Day 20. Maternal, fetal and placental weights were statistically lower in stressed animals than controls, suggesting abnormalities in gestational physiology. Morphologically the placentas of rats subjected to stress were reduced in size and weight, with few glycogen cells and a significant increase in the number of apoptotic cells. Stress caused an increase in placental gene expression of Vegfa (P<0.05) and a reduction in Pgf, Flt1 and Kdr expression (P<0.05). It has been suggested that increased VEGF is associated with vasodilatation and hypotension, but in this model persistent hypertension was present. This study suggests that the limited hypotensive Vegfa response to stress-induced hypertension could result from reduced expression of Flt1/Kdr disrupting specific VEGF pathways. These findings may elucidate one of the multiple possible factors underlying how stress modulates placental physiology, and could aid the understanding of stress-induced gestational disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isis Paloppi Corrêa
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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