title: Apelin is a novel angiogenic factor in retinal endothelial cells.
abstract: There has been much focus recently on the possible functions of apelin, an endogenous ligand for the orphan G-protein-coupled receptor APJ, in cardiovascular and central nervous systems. We report a new function of apelin as a novel angiogenic factor in retinal endothelial cells. The retinal endothelial cell line RF/6A highly expressed both apelin and APJ transcripts, while human umbilical venous endothelial cells (HUVECs) only expressed apelin mRNA. In accordance with these observations, apelin at concentrations of 1 pM-1 microM significantly enhanced migration, proliferation, and capillary-like tube formation of RF/6A cells, but not those of HUVECs, whereas VEGF stimulates those parameters of both cell types. In vivo Matrigel plug assay for angiogenesis, the inclusion of 1 nM apelin in the Matrigel resulted in clear capillary-like formations with an increase of hemoglobin content in the plug. This is the first report showing that apelin is an angiogenic factor in retinal endothelial cells.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Japan.
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kasai
authors.forename: Norihito
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shintani
authors.forename: Maki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oda
authors.forename: Michiya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kakuda
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsuda
authors.forename: Shuji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hinuma
authors.forename: Akemichi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baba
mesh_terms: D054392:Adipokines; D043924:Angiogenesis Modulating Agents / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D042501:Angiogenic Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D000073861:Apelin; D002196:Capillaries / Q000254:growth & development / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000502:physiology; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D051379:Mice; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000187:drug effects; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D012160:Retina / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D014471:Umbilical Veins / Q000166:cytology; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D054392:Adipokines; D043924:Angiogenesis Modulating Agents; D042501:Angiogenic Proteins; D000073861:Apelin; C402826:Apln protein, mouse; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D006454:Hemoglobins; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A