Proadrenomedullin NH2-terminal 20 peptide is a potent angiogenic factor, and its inhibition results in reduction of tumor growth.
We have found through ex vivo and in vivo angiogenesis models that the adrenomedullin gene-related peptide, proadrenomedullin NH2-terminal 20 peptide (PAMP), exhibits a potent angiogenic potential at femtomolar concentrations, whereas classic angiogenic factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor and adrenomedullin mediate a comparable effect at nanomolar concentrations. We found that human microvascular endothelial cells express PAMP receptors and respond to exogenous addition of PAMP by increasing migration and cord formation. Exposure of endothelial cells to PAMP increases gene expression of other angiogenic factors such as adrenomedullin, vascular endothelial growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor, and platelet-derived growth factor C. In addition, the peptide fragment PAMP(12-20) inhibits tumor cell-induced angiogenesis in vivo and reduces tumor growth in xenograft models. Together, our data demonstrate PAMP to be an extremely potent angiogenic factor and implicate this peptide as an attractive molecular target for angiogenesis-based antitumor therapy.
Martínez
Alfredo
A
Cell and Cancer Biology Branch, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA. martinea@mail.nih.gov
Zudaire
Enrique
E
Portal-Núñez
Sergio
S
Guédez
Liliana
L
Libutti
Steven K
SK
Stetler-Stevenson
William G
WG
Cuttitta
Frank
F
D053607:Adrenomedullin; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002642:Chick Embryo; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000187:drug effects*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000494:pharmacology; D010455:Peptides / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
D010446:Peptide Fragments; D010455:Peptides; D053607:Adrenomedullin; D002118:Calcium