Visfatin promotes angiogenesis by activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2.
Adipose tissue is highly vascularized and requires the angiogenic properties for its mass growth. Visfatin has been recently characterized as a novel adipokine, which is preferentially produced by adipose tissue. In this study, we report that visfatin potently stimulates in vivo neovascularization in chick chorioallantoic membrane and mouse Matrigel plug. We also demonstrate that visfatin activates migration, invasion, and tube formation in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Moreover, visfatin evokes activation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) in endothelial cells, which is closely linked to angiogenesis. Inhibition of ERK activation markedly decreases visfatin-induced tube formation of HUVECs and visfatin-stimulated endothelial cell sprouting from rat aortic rings. Taken together, these results demonstrate that visfatin promotes angiogenesis via activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase ERK-dependent pathway and suggest that visfatin may play important roles in various pathophysiological angiogenesis including adipose tissue angiogenesis.
Kim
Su-Ryun
SR
School of Dentistry, Pusan National University, Pusan 602-739, Republic of Korea.
Bae
Soo-Kyung
SK
Choi
Kyu-Sil
KS
Park
Shi-Young
SY
Jun
Hyung Oh
HO
Lee
Ju-Youn
JY
Jang
Hye-Ock
HO
Yun
Il
I
Yoon
Kwon-Ha
KH
Kim
Yung-Jin
YJ
Yoo
Mi-Ae
MA
Kim
Kyu-Won
KW
Bae
Moon-Kyoung
MK
D043925:Angiogenesis Inducing Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D043925:Angiogenesis Inducing Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase; C085455:nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase, human; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3