HARP induces angiogenesis in vivo and in vitro: implication of N or C terminal peptides.
HARP (heparin affin regulatory peptide) is a growth factor displaying high affinity for heparin. In the present work, we studied the ability of human recombinant HARP as well as its two terminal peptides (HARP residues 1-21 and residues 121-139) to promote angiogenesis. HARP stimulates endothelial cell tube formation on matrigel, collagen and fibrin gels, stimulates endothelial cell migration and induces angiogenesis in the in vivo chicken embryo chorioallantoic membrane assay. The two HARP peptides seem to be involved in most of the angiogenic effects of HARP. They both stimulate in vivo angiogenesis and in vitro endothelial cell migration and tube formation on matrigel. We conclude that HARP has an angiogenic activity when applied exogenously in several in vitro and in vivo models of angiogenesis and its NH(2) and COOH termini seem to play an important role.
Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, University of Patras, Patras, Greece.
E
E
Papadimitriou
A
A
Polykratis
J
J
Courty
P
P
Koolwijk
M
M
Heroult
P
P
Katsoris
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D002417:Cattle; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002642:Chick Embryo; D016207:Cytokines / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000502:physiology*; D010455:Peptides / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D016207:Cytokines; D006133:Growth Substances; D010455:Peptides; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C066845:pleiotrophin