Urokinase-type plasminogen activator overexpression enhances the invasive capacity of endothelial cells.
Fetal bovine aortic endothelial GM 7373 cells were transfected with a viral expression vector harboring the human urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) gene. The stable transfectant clone uPA-R5 overexpressed and secreted human uPA as shown by Northern blot analysis, immunoprecipitation of metabolically labeled proteins, plasmin chromogenic assays, and SDS-PAGE zymography of cell extracts and conditioned media. The uPA-R5 cells were analyzed for their invasive capacity in vitro in the Matrigel chemoinvasion assay in the presence of serine- or metalloprotease inhibitors. uPA overexpression enhanced the invasive capacity of GM 7373 cells through a mechanism which differs from that mediated by metalloproteases. Endothelial cell uPA transfectants may represent an useful experimental model to investigate the role of uPA in angiogenesis and angioproliferative diseases.
Gualandris
A
A
Department of Biomedical Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Brescia, Italy.
Lopez Conejo
T
T
Giunciuglio
D
D
Albini
A
A
Sabini
E
E
Rusnati
M
M
Dell'Era
P
P
Presta
M
M
D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta; D002417:Cattle; D002460:Cell Line; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000502:physiology*; D005333:Fetus; D006801:Humans; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000235:genetics; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator