title: Angiopoietin-related growth factor (AGF) promotes angiogenesis.
abstract: We report here the identification of angiopoietin-related growth factor (AGF) as a positive mediator for angiogenesis. To investigate the biologic function of AGF in angiogenesis, we analyzed the vasculature in the dermis of transgenic mice expressing AGF in mouse epidermal keratinocytes (K14-AGF). K14-AGF transgenic mice were grossly red, especially in the ears and snout, suggesting that hypervascularization had occurred in their skin. Histologic examination of ear skin from K14-AGF transgenic mice revealed increased numbers of microvessels in the dermis, whereas the expression of several angiogenic factors, such as basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs), and angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1), was decreased. We showed that AGF is a secreted protein and does not bind to tyrosine kinase with immunoglobulin and EGF-homology domain (Tie1) or Tie2 receptors. An in vitro chamber assay revealed that AGF directly promotes chemotactic activity of vascular endothelial cells. Both mouse corneal and matrigel plug assays showed that AGF induces neovascularization in vivo. Furthermore, we found that plasma leakage occurred after direct injection of AGF into the mouse dermis, suggesting that AGF directly induces a permeability change in the local vasculature. On the basis of these observations, we propose that AGF is a novel angiogenic factor and that handling of its biologic functions could lead to novel therapeutic strategies for control of angiogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Differentiation, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan. oike@sc.itc.keio.ac.jp
authors.forename: Yuichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Oike
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Hiromitsu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Maekawa
authors.forename: Tohru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Morisada
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kubota
authors.forename: Masaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akao
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Urano
authors.forename: Kunio
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yasunaga
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suda
mesh_terms: D043925:Angiogenesis Inducing Agents; D000091308:Angiopoietin-Like Protein 6; D000075802:Angiopoietin-like Proteins; D042682:Angiopoietins; D000818:Animals; D001685:Biological Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D002199:Capillary Permeability; D002633:Chemotaxis; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D043925:Angiogenesis Inducing Agents; D000091308:Angiopoietin-Like Protein 6; D000075802:Angiopoietin-like Proteins; D042682:Angiopoietins; C477602:Angptl6 protein, mouse; D001685:Biological Factors; D006133:Growth Substances