Signal transduction and transcriptional regulation of angiogenesis.
When quiescent endothelial cells (ECs) are exposed to angiogenic factor such as VEGF; ECs express proteases to degrade extracellular matrices, migrate, proliferate and form new vessels. However, the molecular mechanism of these events is not fully characterized yet. We are studying the signal transduction and transcriptional regulation of angiogenesis. We investigated the properties of two VEGF receptors, Flt-1 and KDR, by using two newly developed blocking monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), i.e., anti-human Flt-1 mAb and anti-human KDR mAb. VEGF elicited induction of transcription factor Ets-1 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). This induction was mediated by the KDR/Flt-1 heterodimer and the KDR homodimer. The role of transcription factor Ets-1 in angiogenesis was further clarified. We established both high and low Ets-1 expressing EC lines, and compared angiogenic properties of these cell lines with a parental murine EC line, MSS31. The growth rate was almost identical among three cell lines. It appeared that gene expressions of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-1, MMP-3, and MMP-9) as well as integrin beta 3 were correlated with the level of Ets-1 expression. As a result, the invasiveness was enhanced in high Ets-1 expressing cells and reduced in low Ets-1 expressing cells compared with parental cells, and high Ets-1 expressing cells made more tube-like structures in type 1 collagen gel. These results indicate that Ets-1 is a principle transcription factor converting ECs to the angiogeneic phenotype.
Sato
Y
Y
Department of Vascular Biology, Tohoku University.
Abe
M
M
Tanaka
K
K
Iwasaka
C
C
Oda
N
N
Kanno
S
S
Oikawa
M
M
Nakano
T
T
Igarashi
T
T
D000818:Animals; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D020781:Matrix Metalloproteinase 1 / Q000235:genetics; D019278:Matrix Metalloproteinase 3 / Q000235:genetics; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D050784:Proto-Oncogene Protein c-ets-1; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D050783:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ets; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D017978:Receptors, Growth Factor / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1
C494041:ETS1 protein, human; C494042:Ets1 protein, mouse; D050784:Proto-Oncogene Protein c-ets-1; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D050783:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ets; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017978:Receptors, Growth Factor; D014157:Transcription Factors; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1; D019278:Matrix Metalloproteinase 3; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9; D020781:Matrix Metalloproteinase 1