Endothelial growth factor receptors in human fetal heart.
BACKGROUND
Endothelial receptor tyrosine kinases include 3 members of the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) family and 2 members of the angiopoietin receptor (Tie) family. In addition, the VEGF(165) isoform binds to neuropilin-1 (NP-1), a receptor for collapsins/semaphorins. The importance of these receptors for vasculogenesis and angiogenesis has been shown in gene-targeted mice, but so far, little is known about their exact expression patterns in the human vasculature.


RESULTS
Frozen sections of human fetal heart were stained immunohistochemically with receptor-specific monoclonal (VEGFR, Tie) or polyclonal (NP-1) antibodies. The following patterns were observed: The endocardium was positive for VEGFR-1, VEGFR-2, NP-1, Tie-1, and Tie-2 but negative for VEGFR-3. The coronary vessels were positive for Tie-1, Tie-2, VEGFR-1, and NP-1 and negative for VEGFR-2 and VEGFR-3. Myocardial capillaries and epicardial blood vessels stained for VEGFR-1, VEGFR-2, NP-1, and Tie-1; myocardial capillaries and epicardial veins weakly for Tie-2; and epicardial lymphatic vessels for VEGFR-2 and VEGFR-3, weakly for Tie-1 and Tie-2, but not for VEGFR-1 or NP-1.


CONCLUSIONS
The results demonstrate differential expression of the endothelial growth factor receptors in distinct types of vessels in the human heart. This information is useful for the understanding of their roles in physiological and pathological processes and for their diagnostic and therapeutic application in cardiovascular medicine.
Partanen
T A
TA
Molecular/Cancer Biology Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Haartman Institute, University of Helsinki, Finland.
Makinen
T
T
Arola
J
J
Suda
T
T
Weich
H A
HA
Alitalo
K
K
D002196:Capillaries / Q000737:chemistry / Q000196:embryology; D003326:Coronary Circulation; D004699:Endocardium / Q000737:chemistry; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000502:physiology; D005318:Fetal Heart / Q000737:chemistry*; D005326:Fetal Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D005629:Frozen Sections; D006801:Humans; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000502:physiology; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000737:chemistry; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000502:physiology; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D039942:Neuropilin-1; D010496:Pericardium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000196:embryology; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis*; D042810:Receptor, TIE-1; D042787:Receptor, TIE-2; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000032:analysis*; D017978:Receptors, Growth Factor / Q000032:analysis*; D042764:Receptors, TIE; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1; D040321:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-3; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D005326:Fetal Proteins; D008222:Lymphokines; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D017978:Receptors, Growth Factor; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; D039942:Neuropilin-1; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D042810:Receptor, TIE-1; D042787:Receptor, TIE-2; D042764:Receptors, TIE; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1; D040321:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-3