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Vogrin AJ, Bower NI, Gunzburg MJ, Roufail S, Okuda KS, Paterson S, Headey SJ, Stacker SA, Hogan BM, Achen MG. Evolutionary Differences in the Vegf/Vegfr Code Reveal Organotypic Roles for the Endothelial Cell Receptor Kdr in Developmental Lymphangiogenesis. Cell Rep 2020; 28:2023-2036.e4. [PMID: 31433980 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.07.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2018] [Revised: 06/11/2019] [Accepted: 07/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Lymphatic vascular development establishes embryonic and adult tissue fluid balance and is integral in disease. In diverse vertebrate organs, lymphatic vessels display organotypic function and develop in an organ-specific manner. In all settings, developmental lymphangiogenesis is considered driven by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor-3 (VEGFR3), whereas a role for VEGFR2 remains to be fully explored. Here, we define the zebrafish Vegf/Vegfr code in receptor binding studies. We find that while Vegfd directs craniofacial lymphangiogenesis, it binds Kdr (a VEGFR2 homolog) but surprisingly, unlike in mammals, does not bind Flt4 (VEGFR3). Epistatic analyses and characterization of a kdr mutant confirm receptor-binding analyses, demonstrating that Kdr is indispensible for rostral craniofacial lymphangiogenesis, but not caudal trunk lymphangiogenesis, in which Flt4 is central. We further demonstrate an unexpected yet essential role for Kdr in inducing lymphatic endothelial cell fate. This work reveals evolutionary divergence in the Vegf/Vegfr code that uncovers spatially restricted mechanisms of developmental lymphangiogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam J Vogrin
- Tumour Angiogenesis and Microenvironment Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
| | - Neil I Bower
- Division of Genomics of Development and Disease, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Menachem J Gunzburg
- Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Sally Roufail
- Tumour Angiogenesis and Microenvironment Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
| | - Kazuhide S Okuda
- Division of Genomics of Development and Disease, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Scott Paterson
- Division of Genomics of Development and Disease, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Stephen J Headey
- Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Steven A Stacker
- Tumour Angiogenesis and Microenvironment Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia; Department of Surgery, Royal Melbourne Hospital, and Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
| | - Benjamin M Hogan
- Division of Genomics of Development and Disease, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
| | - Marc G Achen
- Tumour Angiogenesis and Microenvironment Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia; Department of Surgery, Royal Melbourne Hospital, and Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia.
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Qiao B, Nie JJ, Shao Y, Li Y, Zhang C, Hao W, Li S, Chen D, Yu B, Li HH, Xu FJ, Du J. Functional Nanocomplexes with Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/C Isoforms Improve Collateral Circulation and Cardiac Function. Small 2020; 16:e1905925. [PMID: 31880079 DOI: 10.1002/smll.201905925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2019] [Revised: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Protein-based therapies are potential treatments for cancer, immunological, and cardiovascular diseases. However, effective delivery systems are needed because of their instability, immunogenicity, and so on. Crosslinked negatively charged heparin polysaccharide nanoparticle (HepNP) is proposed for protein delivery. HepNP can efficiently condense vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) because of the unique electronegative sulfonic acid and carboxyl domain of heparin. HepNP is then assembled with VEGF-C (Hep@VEGF-C) or VEGF-A (Hep@VEGF-A) protein for the therapy of myocardial infarction (MI) via intravenous (iv) injection. Hep@VEGF-A-mediated improvement of cardiac function by promoting angiogenesis is limited because of elevated vascular permeability, while Hep@VEGF-C effectively promotes lymphangiogenesis and reduces edema. On this basis, a graded delivery of VEGF-C (0.5-1 h post-MI) and VEGF-A (5 d post-MI) using HepNP is developed. At the dose ratio of 3:1 (Hep@VEGF-C vs Hep@VEGF-A), Hep@VEGF functional complexes substantially reduce the scar formation (≈-39%; p < 0.05) and improve cardiac function (≈+74%; p < 0.05). Such a HepNP delivery system provides a simple and effective therapeutic strategy for cardiovascular diseases by delivering functional proteins. Because of the unique binding ability of heparin with cytokines and growth factors, HepNP also has considerable application prospects in protein therapy for other serious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bokang Qiao
- Key Laboratory of Remodeling-Related Cardiovascular Diseases (Ministry of Education), Beijing Institute of Heart, Lung, and Blood Vessel Diseases, Beijing Anzhen Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Jing-Jun Nie
- Key Lab of Biomedical Materials of Natural Macromolecules (Beijing University of Chemical Technology), Ministry of Education, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Yihui Shao
- Key Laboratory of Remodeling-Related Cardiovascular Diseases (Ministry of Education), Beijing Institute of Heart, Lung, and Blood Vessel Diseases, Beijing Anzhen Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Yulin Li
- Key Laboratory of Remodeling-Related Cardiovascular Diseases (Ministry of Education), Beijing Institute of Heart, Lung, and Blood Vessel Diseases, Beijing Anzhen Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Congcong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Remodeling-Related Cardiovascular Diseases (Ministry of Education), Beijing Institute of Heart, Lung, and Blood Vessel Diseases, Beijing Anzhen Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Wenjing Hao
- Key Laboratory of Remodeling-Related Cardiovascular Diseases (Ministry of Education), Beijing Institute of Heart, Lung, and Blood Vessel Diseases, Beijing Anzhen Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Sijin Li
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, China
| | - Dafu Chen
- Laboratory of Bone Tissue Engineering, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Beijing Research Institute of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, Beijing, 100035, China
| | - Bingran Yu
- Key Lab of Biomedical Materials of Natural Macromolecules (Beijing University of Chemical Technology), Ministry of Education, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Hui-Hua Li
- Department of Cardiology, Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116011, China
| | - Fu-Jian Xu
- Key Lab of Biomedical Materials of Natural Macromolecules (Beijing University of Chemical Technology), Ministry of Education, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Jie Du
- Key Laboratory of Remodeling-Related Cardiovascular Diseases (Ministry of Education), Beijing Institute of Heart, Lung, and Blood Vessel Diseases, Beijing Anzhen Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100029, China
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Keskitalo S, Tammela T, Lyytikka J, Karpanen T, Jeltsch M, Markkanen J, Yla-Herttuala S, Alitalo K. Enhanced capillary formation stimulated by a chimeric vascular endothelial growth factor/vascular endothelial growth factor-C silk domain fusion protein. Circ Res 2007; 100:1460-7. [PMID: 17478734 DOI: 10.1161/01.res.0000269042.58594.f6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [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: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-C and VEGF-D require proteolytic cleavage of the carboxy terminal silk-homology domain for activation. To study the functions of the VEGF-C propeptides, we engineered a chimeric growth factor protein, VEGF-CAC, composed of the amino- and carboxy-terminal propeptides of VEGF-C fused to the receptor-activating core domain of VEGF. Like VEGF-C, VEGF-CAC underwent proteolytic cleavage, and like VEGF, it bound to and activated VEGF receptor-1 and VEGF receptor-2, but not the VEGF-C receptor VEGF receptor-3. VEGF-CAC also bound to neuropilins in a heparin-dependent manner. Strikingly, when VEGF-CAC was expressed via an adenovirus vector in the ear skin of immunodeficient mice, it proved to be a more potent inducer of capillary angiogenesis than VEGF. The VEGF-CAC-induced vessels differed greatly from those induced by VEGF, as they formed a very dense and fine network of pericyte and basement membrane-covered capillaries that were functional, as shown by lectin perfusion experiments. VEGF-CAC could prove useful in proangiogenic therapies in patients experiencing tissue ischemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salla Keskitalo
- Molecular/Cancer Biology Laboratory and Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Biomedicum Helsinki, Haartman Institute and Helsinki University Central Hospital, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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Hachisuka T, Narikiyo M, Yamada Y, Ishikawa H, Ueno M, Uchida H, Yoriki R, Ohigashi Y, Miki K, Tamaki H, Mizuno T, Nakajima Y. High lymphatic vessel density correlates with overexpression of VEGF-C in gastric cancer. Oncol Rep 2005; 13:733-7. [PMID: 15756450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Lymph node metastasis is one of the most important prognostic factors in malignant tumors. In this study, we investigated vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-C expression in human gastric cancer using immunohistochemical techniques and determined the number of microvessels in peritumoral tissue. VEGF-C expression was positive in 22 of 79 cases (27.8%), and correlated with the presence of lymphatic invasion and lymph node metastasis. We confirmed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) that VEGF-C mRNA expression is observed more commonly in cancer tissues than normal tissues. For 59 gastric tumors, we examined lymphatic vessel density (LVD) using the specific lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronan receptor (LYVE) -1 antibody. VEGF-C expression was observed in 10 of 25 cases (40%) that exhibited a high LVD. Furthermore, high LVD exhibited a significant correlation with VEGF-C expression. Our findings suggest that VEGF-C plays a pivotal role for lymphangiogenesis and tumor growth in gastric cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Hachisuka
- Department of Surgery, Nara Medical University, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara 634-8522, Japan.
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Alam A, Herault JP, Barron P, Favier B, Fons P, Delesque-Touchard N, Senegas I, Laboudie P, Bonnin J, Cassan C, Savi P, Ruggeri B, Carmeliet P, Bono F, Herbert JM. Heterodimerization with vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) is necessary for VEGFR-3 activity. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2004; 324:909-15. [PMID: 15474514 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2004.08.237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2004] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
VEGFR-3 is essential for vascular development and maintenance of lymphatic vessel's integrity. Little is known about its cooperative effect with other receptors of the same family. Contrary to VEGFR-2, stimulation of VEGFR-3 by VEGF-C and -D failed to enhance its phosphorylation either in HEK293T or in PAE cells. These ligands were unable to induce angiogenesis of PAEC expressing VEGFR-3 alone. In the presence of VEGFR-2, VEGF-C and -D induced heterodimerization of VEGFR-3 with VEGFR-2. This heterodimerization was associated with enhanced VEGFR-3 phosphorylation and subsequent cellular responses as evidenced by the formation of capillary-like structures in PAE cells and proliferation of primary human endothelial cells expressing both receptors. Taken together, these results show for the first time that VEGFR-3 needs to be associated to VEGFR-2 to induce ligand-dependent cellular responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Alam
- Sanofi-Synthélabo Research, Cardiovascular Department, Toulouse, France
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