2'-Fluoropyrimidine RNA-based aptamers to the 165-amino acid form of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF165). Inhibition of receptor binding and VEGF-induced vascular permeability through interactions requiring the exon 7-encoded domain.
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been implicated in the pathological induction of new blood vessel growth in a variety of proliferative disorders. Using the SELEX process (systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment), we have isolated 2'-F-pyrimidine RNA oligonucleotide ligands (aptamers) to human VEGF165. Representative aptamers from three distinct sequence families were truncated to the minimal sequence capable of high affinity binding to VEGF (23-29 nucleotides) and were further modified by replacement of 2'-O-methyl for 2'-OH at all ribopurine positions where the substitution was tolerated. Equilibrium dissociation constants for the interaction of VEGF with the truncated, 2'-O-methyl-modified aptamers range between 49 and 130 pM. These aptamers bind equally well to murine VEGF164, do not bind to VEGF121 or the smaller isoform of placenta growth factor (PlGF129), and show reduced, but significant affinity for the VEGF165/PlGF129 heterodimer. Cysteine 137 in the exon 7-encoded domain of VEGF165 forms a photo-inducible cross-link to a single uridine residue in each of the three aptamers. The aptamers potently inhibit the binding of VEGF to the human VEGF receptors, KDR and Flt-1, expressed by transfected porcine aortic endothelial cells. Furthermore, one of the aptamers is able to significantly reduce intradermal VEGF-induced vascular permeability in vivo.
Ruckman
J
J
NeXstar Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Boulder, Colorado 80301, USA.
Green
L S
LS
Beeson
J
J
Waugh
S
S
Gillette
W L
WL
Henninger
D D
DD
Claesson-Welsh
L
L
Janjić
N
N
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002199:Capillary Permeability / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents / Q000378:metabolism; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects*; D017611:Fluorine Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D008024:Ligands; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000187:drug effects; D009843:Oligoribonucleotides / Q000737:chemistry; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012313:RNA / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D017978:Receptors, Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D013552:Swine; D014162:Transfection / Q000235:genetics; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D017611:Fluorine Compounds; D008024:Ligands; D008222:Lymphokines; D009843:Oligoribonucleotides; D011506:Proteins; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D017978:Receptors, Growth Factor; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; D012313:RNA; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor