title: Angiopoietin-1 and vascular endothelial growth factor induce expression of inflammatory cytokines before angiogenesis.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to identify novel transcriptional events occurring in the aortic wall before angiogenesis. We used a defined tissue culture system that takes advantage of the capacity of rat aortic rings to generate neovessels ex vivo in response to angiogenic factor stimulation. Total RNA isolated from aortic rings 18 h posttreatment with angiopoietin (Ang)-1 or vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was used to probe oligonucleotide microarrays. Many genes were up- or downregulated by either Ang-1 or VEGF, with a subset being affected by treatment with both growth factors. Grouping of genes by biological function revealed that Ang-1 and VEGF both upregulated a host of immune-related genes including many inflammatory cytokines. A mixture of the Ang-1- and VEGF-induced cytokines stimulated the spontaneous angiogenic response of aortic rings and was synergistic with a low dose of recombinant VEGF. This effect was associated with enhanced recruitment of adventitial macrophages and dendritic cells in the angiogenic outgrowths. Thus Ang-1 and VEGF activate the innate immune system of the vessel wall, stimulating the production of proangiogenic inflammatory cytokines before the emergence of neovessels. This hitherto unreported feature of the angiogenic response might represent an important early component of the cellular and molecular cascade responsible for the angiogenic response of the aortic wall.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
authors.forename: Alfred C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Aplin
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gelati
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fogel
authors.forename: Edvige
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Carnevale
authors.forename: Roberto F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Nicosia
mesh_terms: D042683:Angiopoietin-1 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D046509:Tissue Culture Techniques; D015854:Up-Regulation; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D042683:Angiopoietin-1; D016207:Cytokines; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A