Vascular endothelial growth factor increases endothelin-converting enzyme expression in vascular endothelial cells.
Endothelin-converting enzyme-1 (ECE-1) is a key enzyme in endothelin processing. Although it has been revealed that ECE-1 expression increases in vascular wall after balloon injury in vivo experimental models, the regulation of ECE-1 expression in vitro remains undefined. In this study, we demonstrated that the endothelial cell-specific mitogen, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) increased ECE-1 expression in cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC). Northern blot analysis revealed that VEGF increased ECE-1 mRNA expression in 12-24 hours by 2-fold in BAEC, and this effect was dose-dependent. VEGF also increased ECE-1 protein expression detected by immunoblotting in 36 hours in BAEC. Therefore, VEGF increased ECE-1 expression in BAEC, which suggests that ECE-1 induction by VEGF may be involved in endothelin-system upregulation under pathological conditions such as neointimal formation and atherosclerosis.
Matsuura
A
A
The First Department of Internal Medicine, Kobe University School of Medicine, Chuo-ku, Japan.
Kawashima
S
S
Yamochi
W
W
Hirata
K
K
Yamaguchi
T
T
Emoto
N
N
Yokoyama
M
M
D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta; D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002417:Cattle; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000072396:Endothelin-Converting Enzymes; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000201:enzymology*; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D008222:Lymphokines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases; C000606923:ECE1 protein, human; D000072396:Endothelin-Converting Enzymes