title: Human airway smooth muscle cells secrete vascular endothelial growth factor: up-regulation by bradykinin via a protein kinase C and prostanoid-dependent mechanism.
abstract: Bronchial vascular remodeling is an important feature of the pathology of chronic asthma, but the responsible mechanisms and main sources of angiogenic factors are unclear. Here we report that human airway smooth muscle cells express vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)121, 165, 189, 206 splice variants and secrete VEGF protein constitutively. VEGF protein secretion was increased by the proinflammatory asthma mediator bradykinin through post-transcriptional mechanisms. Bradykinin-induced VEGF secretion was dependent on the B2 bradykinin receptor, activation of protein kinase C, and generation of endogenous prostanoids. This is the first report that bradykinin can increase VEGF secretion in any biological system and the first to show that airway smooth muscle cells produce VEGF. Our results suggest a novel role for human airway smooth muscle in contributing to bronchial mucosal angiogenesis in chronic asthma by secretion of VEGF and suggest a wider role for mesenchymal cell products in mediating angiogenesis in inflammatory and allergic diseases.
authors.affiliation: Division of Respiratory Medicine, City Hospital, Nottingham, NG5 1PB, England, UK. alan.knox@nottingham.ac.uk
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Knox
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Corbett
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stocks
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Holland
authors.forename: Y M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D001920:Bradykinin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D065168:Bradykinin Receptor Antagonists; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007213:Indomethacin / Q000494:pharmacology; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D009281:Naphthalenes / Q000494:pharmacology; D009578:Nitrobenzenes / Q000494:pharmacology; D011453:Prostaglandins / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000235:genetics; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D012313:RNA / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D043782:Receptor, Bradykinin B2; D018002:Receptors, Bradykinin / Q000502:physiology; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors; D014132:Trachea / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D015854:Up-Regulation; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
chemical_list: D065168:Bradykinin Receptor Antagonists; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D008222:Lymphokines; D009281:Naphthalenes; D009578:Nitrobenzenes; D011453:Prostaglandins; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D043782:Receptor, Bradykinin B2; D018002:Receptors, Bradykinin; D013449:Sulfonamides; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; C080955:N-(2-cyclohexyloxy-4-nitrophenyl)methanesulfonamide; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D012313:RNA; C065679:icatibant; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D011493:Protein Kinase C; C058819:calphostin C; D015232:Dinoprostone; D001920:Bradykinin; D007213:Indomethacin