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Mitola S, Ravelli C, Corsini M, Gianoncelli A, Galvagni F, Ballmer-Hofer K, Presta M, Grillo E. Production and Biochemical Characterization of Dimeric Recombinant Gremlin-1. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23031151. [PMID: 35163075 PMCID: PMC8835488 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Revised: 01/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Gremlin-1 is a secreted cystine-knot protein that acts as an antagonist of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), and as a ligand of heparin and the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2), thus regulating several physiological and pathological processes, including embryonic development, tissue fibrosis and cancer. Gremlin-1 exerts all these biological activities only in its homodimeric form. Here, we propose a multi-step approach for the expression and purification of homodimeric, fully active, histidine-tagged recombinant gremlin-1, using mammalian HEK293T cells. Ion metal affinity chromatography (IMAC) of crude supernatant followed by heparin-affinity chromatography enables obtaining a highly pure recombinant dimeric gremlin-1 protein, exhibiting both BMP antagonist and potent VEGFR2 agonist activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Mitola
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy; (C.R.); (M.C.); (A.G.); (M.P.)
- Correspondence: (S.M.); (E.G.)
| | - Cosetta Ravelli
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy; (C.R.); (M.C.); (A.G.); (M.P.)
| | - Michela Corsini
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy; (C.R.); (M.C.); (A.G.); (M.P.)
| | - Alessandra Gianoncelli
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy; (C.R.); (M.C.); (A.G.); (M.P.)
| | - Federico Galvagni
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy;
| | - Kurt Ballmer-Hofer
- Biomolecular Research, Paul Scherrer Institute, 5232 Villigen, Switzerland;
| | - Marco Presta
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy; (C.R.); (M.C.); (A.G.); (M.P.)
| | - Elisabetta Grillo
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy; (C.R.); (M.C.); (A.G.); (M.P.)
- Correspondence: (S.M.); (E.G.)
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De Rossi G, Vähätupa M, Cristante E, Arokiasamy S, Liyanage SE, May U, Pellinen L, Uusitalo-Järvinen H, Bainbridge JW, Järvinen TA, Whiteford JR. Pathological Angiogenesis Requires Syndecan-4 for Efficient VEGFA-Induced VE-Cadherin Internalization. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2021; 41:1374-1389. [PMID: 33596666 PMCID: PMC7613699 DOI: 10.1161/atvbaha.121.315941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
[Figure: see text].
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia De Rossi
- William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London EC1M 6BQ, United Kingdom
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, Department of Cell Biology, 11-43 Bath Street, London EC1V 9EL, UK
| | - Maria Vähätupa
- Faculty of Medicine & Health Technology, Tampere University, 33014 Tampere, Finland & Departments of Orthopedics & Traumatology and Tampere Eye Centre, Tampere University Hospital, 33521 Tampere, Finland
| | - Enrico Cristante
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, Genetics department, 11-43 Bath Street, London EC1V 9EL, UK
| | - Samantha Arokiasamy
- William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London EC1M 6BQ, United Kingdom
| | - Sidath E. Liyanage
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, Genetics department, 11-43 Bath Street, London EC1V 9EL, UK
| | - Ulrike May
- Faculty of Medicine & Health Technology, Tampere University, 33014 Tampere, Finland & Departments of Orthopedics & Traumatology and Tampere Eye Centre, Tampere University Hospital, 33521 Tampere, Finland
| | - Laura Pellinen
- Faculty of Medicine & Health Technology, Tampere University, 33014 Tampere, Finland & Departments of Orthopedics & Traumatology and Tampere Eye Centre, Tampere University Hospital, 33521 Tampere, Finland
| | - Hannele Uusitalo-Järvinen
- Faculty of Medicine & Health Technology, Tampere University, 33014 Tampere, Finland & Departments of Orthopedics & Traumatology and Tampere Eye Centre, Tampere University Hospital, 33521 Tampere, Finland
| | - James W. Bainbridge
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, Genetics department, 11-43 Bath Street, London EC1V 9EL, UK
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, City Road, London EC1V 2PD, UK
| | - Tero A.H. Järvinen
- Faculty of Medicine & Health Technology, Tampere University, 33014 Tampere, Finland & Departments of Orthopedics & Traumatology and Tampere Eye Centre, Tampere University Hospital, 33521 Tampere, Finland
| | - James R. Whiteford
- William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London EC1M 6BQ, United Kingdom
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Finlay WJ, Coleman JE, Edwards JS, Johnson KS. Anti-PD1 'SHR-1210' aberrantly targets pro-angiogenic receptors and this polyspecificity can be ablated by paratope refinement. MAbs 2019; 11:26-44. [PMID: 30541416 PMCID: PMC6343799 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2018.1550321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2018] [Revised: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 11/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Monoclonal anti-programmed cell death 1 (PD1) antibodies are successful cancer therapeutics, but it is not well understood why individual antibodies should have idiosyncratic side-effects. As the humanized antibody SHR-1210 causes capillary hemangioma in patients, a unique toxicity amongst anti-PD1 antibodies, we performed human receptor proteome screening to identify nonspecific interactions that might drive angiogenesis. This screen identified that SHR-1210 mediated aberrant, but highly selective, low affinity binding to human receptors such as vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2), frizzled class receptor 5 and UL16 binding protein 2 (ULBP2). SHR-1210 was found to be a potent agonist of human VEGFR2, which may thereby drive hemangioma development via vascular endothelial cell activation. The v-domains of SHR-1210's progenitor murine monoclonal antibody 'Mab005' also exhibited off-target binding and agonism of VEGFR2, proving that the polyspecificity was mediated by the original mouse complementarity-determining regions (CDRs), and had survived the humanization process. Molecular remodelling of SHR-1210 by combinatorial CDR mutagenesis led to deimmunization, normalization of binding affinity to human and cynomolgus PD1, and increased potency in PD1/PD-L1 blockade. Importantly, CDR optimization also ablated all off-target binding, rendering the resulting antibodies fully PD1-specific. As the majority of changes to the paratope were found in the light chain CDRs, the germlining of this domain drove the ablation of off-target binding. The combination of receptor proteome screening and optimization of the antibody binding interface therefore succeeded in generating novel, higher-potency, specificity-enhanced therapeutic IgGs from a single, clinically sub-optimal progenitor. This study showed that highly-specific off-target binding events might be an under-appreciated phenomenon in therapeutic antibody development, but that these unwanted properties can be fully ameliorated by paratope refinement.
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Abstract
Over a decade and a half has passed since the publication of early reports hinting at a pathogenetic role for vascular endothelial growth factor ("VEGF") in the development of diabetic kidney disease. In diabetic rats, renal mRNA levels of the VEGF-A isoform were upregulated and administration of a VEGF-A neutralizing antibody attenuated albuminuria: VEGF was "bad" in diabetic nephropathy. Since that time, our understanding of the complexity of the renal VEGF system has advanced. Unlike its experimental counterpart, human diabetic nephropathy is associated with diminished VEGF-A levels and experience in the oncological setting has taught us that VEGF blocking therapy can cause adverse renal effects in patients. Correspondingly, investigational studies in cultured cells and rodent models have demonstrated that the biological effects of the VEGF system are dependent not only on the amount of VEGF, but also the type of VEGF, its sites of action and the prevailing milieu. Here we reflect back on the discoveries that have been made since those initial reports that shone the spotlight on the importance of the VEGF system in the diabetic kidney and we consider that the role of VEGF in diabetic nephropathy extends well beyond being "too much of a good thing".
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Affiliation(s)
- Syamantak Majumder
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science and Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andrew Advani
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science and Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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Ji C, Huang JW, Xu QY, Zhang J, Lin MT, Tu Y, He L, Bi ZG, Cheng B. Gremlin inhibits UV-induced skin cell damages via activating VEGFR2-Nrf2 signaling. Oncotarget 2016; 7:84748-84757. [PMID: 27713170 PMCID: PMC5356696 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.12454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2016] [Accepted: 09/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Ultra Violet (UV) radiation induces reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, DNA oxidation and single strand breaks (SSBs), which will eventually lead to skin cell damages or even skin cancer. Here, we tested the potential activity of gremlin, a novel vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor 2 (VEGFR2) agonist, against UV-induced skin cell damages. We show that gremlin activated VEGFR2 and significantly inhibited UV-induced death and apoptosis of skin keratinocytes and fibroblasts. Pharmacological inhibition or shRNA-mediated knockdown of VEGFR2 almost abolished gremlin-mediated cytoprotection against UV in the skin cells. Further studies showed that gremlin activated VEGFR2 downstream NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling, which appeared required for subsequent skin cell protection. Nrf2 shRNA knockdown or S40T dominant negative mutation largely inhibited gremlin-mediated skin cell protection against UV. At last, we show that gremlin dramatically inhibited UV-induced ROS production and DNA SSB formation in skin keratinocytes and fibroblasts. We conclude that gremlin protects skin cells from UV damages via activating VEGFR2-Nrf2 signaling. Gremlin could be further tested as a novel anti-UV skin protectant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Ji
- Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350005, Fujian, China
| | - Jin-wen Huang
- Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350005, Fujian, China
| | - Qiu-yun Xu
- Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350005, Fujian, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350005, Fujian, China
| | - Meng-ting Lin
- Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350005, Fujian, China
| | - Ying Tu
- Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Yunnan Provincial Institute of Dermatology, Kunming 650032, Yunnan, China
| | - Li He
- Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Yunnan Provincial Institute of Dermatology, Kunming 650032, Yunnan, China
| | - Zhi-gang Bi
- Department of Dermatology, BenQ Medical Center, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210019, Jiangsu, China
| | - Bo Cheng
- Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350005, Fujian, China
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Zeng L, Xiao Q, Chen M, Margariti A, Martin D, Ivetic A, Xu H, Mason J, Wang W, Cockerill G, Mori K, Li JYS, Chien S, Hu Y, Xu Q. Vascular endothelial cell growth-activated XBP1 splicing in endothelial cells is crucial for angiogenesis. Circulation 2013; 127:1712-22. [PMID: 23529610 DOI: 10.1161/circulationaha.112.001337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vascular endothelial cell growth factor plays a pivotal role in angiogenesis via regulating endothelial cell proliferation. The X-box binding protein 1 (XBP1) is believed to be a signal transducer in the endoplasmic reticulum stress response. It is unknown whether there is crosstalk between vascular endothelial cell growth factor signaling and XBP1 pathway. METHODS AND RESULTS We found that vascular endothelial cell growth factor induced the kinase insert domain receptor internalization and interaction through C-terminal domain with the unspliced XBP1 and the inositol requiring enzyme 1 α in the endoplasmic reticulum, leading to inositol requiring enzyme 1 α phosphorylation and XBP1 mRNA splicing, which was abolished by siRNA-mediated knockdown of kinase insert domain receptor. Spliced XBP1 regulated endothelial cell proliferation in a PI3K/Akt/GSK3β/β-catenin/E2F2-dependent manner and modulated the cell size increase in a PI3K/Akt/GSK3β/β-catenin/E2F2-independent manner. Knockdown of XBP1 or inositol requiring enzyme 1 α decreased endothelial cell proliferation via suppression of Akt/GSK3β phosphorylation, β-catenin nuclear translocation, and E2F2 expression. Endothelial cell-specific knockout of XBP1 (XBP1ecko) in mice retarded the retinal vasculogenesis in the first 2 postnatal weeks and impaired the angiogenesis triggered by ischemia. Reconstitution of XBP1 by Ad-XBP1s gene transfer significantly improved angiogenesis in ischemic tissue in XBP1ecko mice. Transplantation of bone marrow from wild-type o XBP1ecko mice could also slightly improve the foot blood reperfusion in ischemic XBP1ecko mice. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that XBP1 can function via growth factor signaling pathways to regulate endothelial proliferation and angiogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingfang Zeng
- Cardiovascular Division, King's College London, 125 Coldharbour Lane, London, UK. or
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Othman A, Ahmad S, Megyerdi S, Mussell R, Choksi K, Maddipati KR, Elmarakby A, Rizk N, Al-Shabrawey M. 12/15-Lipoxygenase-derived lipid metabolites induce retinal endothelial cell barrier dysfunction: contribution of NADPH oxidase. PLoS One 2013; 8:e57254. [PMID: 23437353 PMCID: PMC3577708 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0057254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2012] [Accepted: 01/18/2013] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the effect of 12/15- lipoxygenase (12/15-LOX) metabolites on retinal endothelial cell (REC) barrier function. FITC-dextran flux across the REC monolayers and electrical cell-substrate impedance sensing (ECIS) were used to evaluate the effect of 12- and 15-hydroxyeicosatetreanoic acids (HETE) on REC permeability and transcellular electrical resistance (TER). Effect of 12- or 15-HETE on the levels of zonula occludens protein 1 (ZO-1), reactive oxygen species (ROS), NOX2, pVEGF-R2 and pSHP1 was examined in the presence or absence of inhibitors of NADPH oxidase. In vivo studies were performed using Ins2Akita mice treated with or without the 12/15-LOX inhibitor baicalein. Levels of HETE and inflammatory mediators were examined by LC/MS and Multiplex Immunoassay respectively. ROS generation and NOX2 expression were also measured in mice retinas. 12- and 15- HETE significantly increased permeability and reduced TER and ZO-1expression in REC. VEGF-R2 inhibitor reduced the permeability effect of 12-HETE. Treatment of REC with HETE also increased ROS generation and expression of NOX2 and pVEGF-R2 and decreased pSHP1 expression. Treatment of diabetic mice with baicalein significantly decreased retinal HETE, ICAM-1, VCAM-1, IL-6, ROS generation, and NOX2 expression. Baicalein also reduced pVEGF-R2 while restored pSHP1 levels in diabetic retina. Our findings suggest that 12/15-LOX contributes to vascular hyperpermeability during DR via NADPH oxidase dependent mechanism which involves suppression of protein tyrosine phosphatase and activation of VEGF-R2 signal pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amira Othman
- Department of Oral Biology/Anatomy, College of Dental Medicine, Georgia Regents University (GRU), Augusta, Georgia, United States of America
- Department of Anatomy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
| | - Saif Ahmad
- Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Discovery Institute, Medical College of Georgia, Georgia Regents University (GRU), Augusta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Sylvia Megyerdi
- Department of Oral Biology/Anatomy, College of Dental Medicine, Georgia Regents University (GRU), Augusta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Rene Mussell
- Department of Oral Biology/Anatomy, College of Dental Medicine, Georgia Regents University (GRU), Augusta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Karishma Choksi
- Department of Oral Biology/Anatomy, College of Dental Medicine, Georgia Regents University (GRU), Augusta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Krishna Rao Maddipati
- Department of Pathology, Wayne States University, Detroit, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Ahmed Elmarakby
- Department of Oral Biology/Anatomy, College of Dental Medicine, Georgia Regents University (GRU), Augusta, Georgia, United States of America
- Vascular Biology Center, Medical College of Georgia, Georgia Regents University (GRU), Augusta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Nasser Rizk
- Department of Health Sciences, College of Science, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Mohamed Al-Shabrawey
- Department of Oral Biology/Anatomy, College of Dental Medicine, Georgia Regents University (GRU), Augusta, Georgia, United States of America
- Department of Anatomy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
- Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Discovery Institute, Medical College of Georgia, Georgia Regents University (GRU), Augusta, Georgia, United States of America
- Vascular Biology Center, Medical College of Georgia, Georgia Regents University (GRU), Augusta, Georgia, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Bergelin N, Löf C, Balthasar S, Kalhori V, Törnquist K. S1P1 and VEGFR-2 form a signaling complex with extracellularly regulated kinase 1/2 and protein kinase C-alpha regulating ML-1 thyroid carcinoma cell migration. Endocrinology 2010; 151:2994-3005. [PMID: 20501673 DOI: 10.1210/en.2009-1387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR-2) signaling have been shown to integrate in many biological processes. The follicular thyroid carcinoma cell line ML-1 expresses VEGFR-2 and secretes substantial amounts of both vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A and VEGF-C. ML-1 cells also express S1P-receptors (S1P(1-3,5)). S1P is able to phosphorylate VEGFR-2, and inhibiting VEGFR-2 attenuates S1P-induced migration and down-regulates S1P(1) expression in ML-1 cells. In the present study, we focused on the interactions between S1P(1) and VEGFR-2. We show that S1P receptors form complexes with VEGFR-2 and that the S1P(1)/VEGFR-2 complex associates with protein kinase C (PKC)-alpha and ERK1/2. Furthermore, the complex evokes bidirectional signaling since the S1P-induced ERK1/2 phosphorylation is sensitive to VEGFR-2 kinase inhibition and VEGF-A-induced ERK1/2 phosphorylation is sensitive to pertussis toxin treatment as well as S1P(1) small interfering RNA (siRNA) treatment. Both S1P- and VEGF-A-induced haptotaxis is sensitive to pertussis toxin treatment and S1P(1) siRNA treatment. Phosphorylation of ERK1/2 evoked by both VEGF-A and the S1P(1) agonist SEW-2871 is inhibited by PKC-alpha and PKC-betaI siRNA. We hypothesize that VEGFR-2 forms a signaling complex with S1P(1), evoking bidirectional signaling regulating both ERK1/2 phosphorylation and haptotaxis of ML-1 cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Bergelin
- Department of Biosciences, Abo Akademi University, BioCity, Tykistökatu 6, 20520 Turku, Finland
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Lampugnani MG, Orsenigo F, Gagliani MC, Tacchetti C, Dejana E. Vascular endothelial cadherin controls VEGFR-2 internalization and signaling from intracellular compartments. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2006; 174:593-604. [PMID: 16893970 PMCID: PMC2064264 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.200602080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 419] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Receptor endocytosis is a fundamental step in controlling the magnitude, duration, and nature of cell signaling events. Confluent endothelial cells are contact inhibited in their growth and respond poorly to the proliferative signals of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). In a previous study, we found that the association of vascular endothelial cadherin (VEC) with VEGF receptor (VEGFR) type 2 contributes to density-dependent growth inhibition (Lampugnani, G.M., A. Zanetti, M. Corada, T. Takahashi, G. Balconi, F. Breviario, F. Orsenigo, A. Cattelino, R. Kemler, T.O. Daniel, and E. Dejana. 2003. J. Cell Biol. 161:793–804). In the present study, we describe the mechanism through which VEC reduces VEGFR-2 signaling. We found that VEGF induces the clathrin-dependent internalization of VEGFR-2. When VEC is absent or not engaged at junctions, VEGFR-2 is internalized more rapidly and remains in endosomal compartments for a longer time. Internalization does not terminate its signaling; instead, the internalized receptor is phosphorylated, codistributes with active phospholipase C–γ, and activates p44/42 mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation and cell proliferation. Inhibition of VEGFR-2 internalization reestablishes the contact inhibition of cell growth, whereas silencing the junction-associated density-enhanced phosphatase-1/CD148 phosphatase restores VEGFR-2 internalization and signaling. Thus, VEC limits cell proliferation by retaining VEGFR-2 at the membrane and preventing its internalization into signaling compartments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Grazia Lampugnani
- IFOM, Fondazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro Institute of Molecular Oncology, University of Milan, 20139 Milan, Italy
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Abstract
Cancer cells, by releasing pro-angiogenic factors, stimulate the growth of the thick capillary net necessary for the nourishment of the tumor mass. The battle to defeat cancer uses today different approaches based on the inhibition of pathological angiogenesis: several compounds, either synthetic or biotech, aimed at this complex process, are under development. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is considered the main target for an anti-cancer therapy based on angiogenesis inhibition; the goal is to block the interaction between this cytokine and its receptors in order to stop the intracellular signaling pathways leading to endothelium remodeling. FDA recently approved two drugs specifically aimed at VEGF, bevacizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody, and pegaptinib, a pegylated aptamer with application in ophthalmic pathologies. These two approvals validate anti-VEGF therapy for clinical use, and show how biotech companies are investing on angiogenesis using different approaches, i.e. exploiting protein drugs and oligonucleotide-based therapeutics. Monoclonal antibodies, as well as other high molecular weight products like cytokine-traps, aptamers and short interfering RNA (siRNA), are designed to target VEGF and its receptors. Their design, production and clinical advancement in cancer and other pathological conditions linked to angiogenesis will be specifically addressed in this review.
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MESH Headings
- Angiogenesis Inhibitors/pharmacology
- Angiogenesis Inhibitors/therapeutic use
- Animals
- Antibodies, Monoclonal/pharmacology
- Antibodies, Monoclonal/therapeutic use
- Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
- Aptamers, Nucleotide/pharmacology
- Aptamers, Nucleotide/therapeutic use
- Bevacizumab
- Controlled Clinical Trials as Topic
- Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
- Drug Therapy, Combination
- Humans
- Mice
- Neoplasms/blood supply
- Neoplasms/drug therapy
- Neovascularization, Pathologic/prevention & control
- Protein Engineering
- RNA, Small Interfering/pharmacology
- RNA, Small Interfering/therapeutic use
- Ranibizumab
- Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2/agonists
- Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Gatto
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 5, 35131 Padova, Italy.
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Jia H, Bagherzadeh A, Bicknell R, Duchen MR, Liu D, Zachary I. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-D and VEGF-A differentially regulate KDR-mediated signaling and biological function in vascular endothelial cells. J Biol Chem 2004; 279:36148-57. [PMID: 15215251 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m401538200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-D binds to VEGF receptors (VEGFR) VEGFR2/KDR and VEGFR3/Flt4, but the signaling mechanisms mediating its biological activities in endothelial cells are poorly understood. Here we investigated the mechanism of action of VEGF-D, and we compared the signaling pathways and biological responses induced by VEGF-D and VEGF-A in endothelial cells. VEGF-D induced KDR and phospholipase C-gamma tyrosine phosphorylation more slowly and less effectively than VEGF-A at early times but had a more sustained effect and was as effective as VEGF-A after 60 min. VEGF-D activated extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases 1 and 2 with similar efficacy but slower kinetics compared with VEGF-A, and this effect was blocked by inhibitors of protein kinase C and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase. In contrast to VEGF-A, VEGF-D weakly stimulated prostacyclin production and gene expression, had little effect on cell proliferation, and stimulated a smaller and more transient increase in intracellular [Ca(2+)]. VEGF-D induced strong but more transient phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-mediated Akt activation and increased PI3K-dependent endothelial nitric-oxide synthase phosphorylation and cell survival more weakly. VEGF-D stimulated chemotaxis via a PI3K/Akt- and endothelial nitric-oxide synthase-dependent pathway, enhanced protein kinase C- and PI3K-dependent endothelial tubulogenesis, and stimulated angiogenesis in a mouse sponge implant model less effectively than VEGF-A. VEGF-D-induced signaling and biological effects were blocked by the KDR inhibitor SU5614. The finding that differential KDR activation by VEGF-A and VEGF-D has distinct consequences for endothelial signaling and function has important implications for understanding how multiple ligands for the same VEGF receptors can generate ligand-specific biological responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiyan Jia
- Department of Medicine, The Rayne Institute, University College London, 5 University Street, London WC1E 6JJ, UK
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Seye CI, Yu N, González FA, Erb L, Weisman GA. The P2Y2 nucleotide receptor mediates vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 expression through interaction with VEGF receptor-2 (KDR/Flk-1). J Biol Chem 2004; 279:35679-86. [PMID: 15175347 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m401799200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
UTP stimulates the expression of pro-inflammatory vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) in endothelial cells through activation of the P2Y(2) nucleotide receptor P2Y(2)R. Here, we demonstrated that activation of the P2Y(2)R induced rapid tyrosine phosphorylation of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR)-2 in human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAEC). RNA interference targeting VEGFR-2 or inhibition of VEGFR-2 tyrosine kinase activity abolishes P2Y(2)R-mediated VCAM-1 expression. Furthermore, VEGFR-2 and the P2Y(2)R co-localize upon UTP stimulation. Deletion or mutation of two Src homology-3-binding sites in the C-terminal tail of the P2Y(2)R or inhibition of Src kinase activity abolished the P2Y(2)R-mediated transactivation of VEGFR-2 and subsequently inhibited UTP-induced VCAM-1 expression. Moreover, activation of VEGFR-2 by UTP leads to the phosphorylation of Vav2, a guanine nucleotide exchange factor for Rho family GTPases. Using a binding assay to measure the activity of the small GTPases Rho, we found that stimulation of HCAEC by UTP increased the activity of RhoA and Rac1 (but not Cdc42). Significantly, a dominant negative form of RhoA inhibited P2Y(2)R-mediated VCAM-1 expression, whereas expression of dominant negative forms of Cdc42 and Rac1 had no effect. These data indicate a novel mechanism whereby a nucleotide receptor transactivates a receptor tyrosine kinase to generate an inflammatory response associated with atherosclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheikh I Seye
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, Missouri 65212, USA.
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Masson-Gadais B, Houle F, Laferrière J, Huot J. Integrin alphavbeta3, requirement for VEGFR2-mediated activation of SAPK2/p38 and for Hsp90-dependent phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase in endothelial cells activated by VEGF. Cell Stress Chaperones 2003; 8:37-52. [PMID: 12820653 PMCID: PMC514852 DOI: 10.1379/1466-1268(2003)8<37:ivrfva>2.0.co;2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Endothelial cell migration, a key process in angiogenesis, requires the coordinated integration of motogenic signals elicited by the adhesion of endothelial cells to extracellular matrices and by angiogenic cytokines such as the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). In this study, we found that addition of VEGF to human umbilical vein endothelial cells cultivated on vitronectin triggers a synergistic interaction between the VEGF receptor VEGFR2 and the clustered integrin receptor alphavbeta3. The interaction between VEGFR2 and alphavbeta3 is required for full phosphorylation of VEGFR2 and to drive the activation of motogenic pathways involving focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and stress-activated protein kinase-2/p38 (SAPK2/p38). The signal emanating from the VEGFR2 and alphavbeta3 interaction and leading to SAPK2/p38 activation proceeds directly from VEGFR2. The chaperone Hsp90 is found in a complex that coprecipitates with inactivated VEGFR2, and the association is increased by VEGF and decreased by geldanamycin, a specific inhibitor of Hsp90-mediated events. Geldanamycin also impairs the phosphorylation of FAK that results from the interaction between VEGFR2 and alphavbeta3, and this is accompanied by an inhibition of the recruitment of vinculin to VEGFR2. We conclude that a necessary cross talk should occur between VEGFR2 and the integrin alphavbeta3, to transduce the VEGF signals to SAPK2/p38 and FAK and that Hsp90 is instrumental in the building up of focal adhesions by allowing the phosphorylation of FAK and the recruitment of vinculin to VEGFR2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bénédicte Masson-Gadais
- Centre de recherche en cancérologie de l'Université Laval, L'Hôtel-Dieu de Québec, 9 rue McMahon, Québec, G1R 2J6, Canada
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