title: Involvement of ERK1/2 pathway in TGF-beta1-induced VEGF secretion in normal human cytotrophoblast cells.
abstract: Transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) plays a pivotal role in the angiogenesis during the development of placenta, but the intracellular signaling mechanism by which TGF-beta1 stimulates this process remains poorly understood. In this article, we demonstrated that exposure of normal human cytotrophoblast cells to TGF-beta1 stimulated the secretion of the VEGF gene encoding vascular endothelial growth factor, which is a key factor in angiogenesis. Meanwhile, treatment of normal human cytotrophoblast cells with TGF-beta1-induced expression of HIF-1a, the regulated subunit of hypoxia-inducible factor 1, a known transactivator of the VEGF gene. Our data indicated that TGF-beta1 induced extracellular signal- regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 phosphorylation in normal human cytotrophoblast cells. Moreover, treating cells with PD98059, an inhibitor of ERK1/2 signaling, inhibited TGF-beta1 stimulation of VEGF secretion and HIF-1a protein expression. These data indicated that in normal human cytotrophoblast cells, TGF-beta1 induced HIF-1a-mediated VEGF secretion, and TGF-beta1-stimulated-ERK1/2 activation may be involved in this process.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 25 Bei Si Huan Xi Lu, Beijing 100080, China.
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.forename: Hai-Yan
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Hong-Mei
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Dong-Lin
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Qing-Lei
authors.initials: QL
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D014327:Trophoblasts / Q000378:metabolism*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C497442:HIF1A protein, human; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C508960:TGFB1 protein, human; D014157:Transcription Factors; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3