title: Specificity, diversity, and convergence in VEGF and TNF-alpha signaling events leading to tissue factor up-regulation via EGR-1 in endothelial cells.
abstract: Tissue factor (TF) has been shown to be up-regulated in endothelial cells by the inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) as well as by the main angiogenic factor VEGF. Since both stimuli induce the transcription factor EGR-1, which is critically involved in TF gene regulation, we used EGR-1-dependent TF induction as a model to identify potential cross-talks between the various signal transduction cascades initiated by VEGF and TNF-alpha. The data show that at the MAP kinase level, VEGF mainly activates ERK1/2 and p38 MAP kinases in human endothelial cells. TNF-alpha is able to activate all three MAP kinase cascades as well as the classical inflammatory IkappaB/NFkappaB pathway. Furthermore, the MEK/ERK module of MAP kinases appears to act as the convergence point of VEGF- and TNF-alpha-initiated signaling cascades, which lead to the activation of EGR-1 and subsequent TF expression, whereas the upstream signals are distinct. We found that induction of TF by VEGF via EGR-1 is strongly PKC dependent. The TNF-alpha-initiated MEK/ERK cascade connected to EGR-1 and TF expression is clearly less sensitive to PKC inhibition. TNF-alpha-mediated activation of MEK/ERK and EGR-1 can be blocked by adenoviral expression of a dominant negative mutant of IKK2, whereas the VEGF signaling pathway is unaffected. Thus, our data demonstrate a new link between the classical inflammatory IKK/IkappaB and the MEK/ERK cascades triggered by TNF-alpha. The additional finding that EGF induces ERK and EGR-1 in a PKC-independent manner and that this signal is not sufficient to up-regulate TF emphasizes the importance of a VEGF-specific signaling pattern for the induction of TF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Biology and Thrombosis Research, VIRCC, University of Vienna, A-1235 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mechtcheriakova
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schabbauer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lucerna
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Clauss
authors.lastname: De Martin R
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Binder
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hofer
mesh_terms: D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051766:Early Growth Response Protein 1; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology; D005799:Genes, Dominant; D006801:Humans; D051550:I-kappa B Kinase; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000187:drug effects*; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020239:Receptor Cross-Talk / Q000187:drug effects*; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D017978:Receptors, Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor; D013379:Substrate Specificity; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology; D013925:Thromboplastin / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014471:Umbilical Veins; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C497325:EGR1 protein, human; D051766:Early Growth Response Protein 1; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D005419:Flavonoids; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins; D008222:Lymphokines; D017978:Receptors, Growth Factor; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D013925:Thromboplastin; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; C496559:CHUK protein, human; D051550:I-kappa B Kinase; C496560:IKBKB protein, human; C496565:IKBKE protein, human; D011493:Protein Kinase C; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate; C093973:2-(2-amino-3-methoxyphenyl)-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one