title: Syndecan-2 downregulation impairs angiogenesis in human microvascular endothelial cells.
abstract: The formation of new blood vessels, or angiogenesis, is a necessary process during development but also for tumour growth and other pathologies. It is promoted by different growth factors that stimulate endothelial cells to proliferate, migrate, and generate new tubular structures. Syndecans, transmembrane heparan sulphate proteoglycans, bind such growth factors through their glycosaminoglycan chains and could transduce the signal to the cytoskeleton, thus regulating cell behaviour. We demonstrated that syndecan-2, the major syndecan expressed by human microvascular endothelial cells, is regulated by growth factors and extracellular matrix proteins, in both bidimensional and tridimensional culture conditions. The role of syndecan-2 in "in vitro" tumour angiogenesis was also examined by inhibiting its core protein expression with antisense phosphorothioate oligonucleotides. Downregulation of syndecan-2 reduces spreading and adhesion of endothelial cells, enhances their migration, but also impairs the formation of capillary-like structures. These results suggest that syndecan-2 has an important function in some of the necessary steps that make up the angiogenic process. We therefore propose a pivotal role of this heparan sulphate proteoglycan in the formation of new blood vessels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. onoguer@ub.edu
authors.forename: Oriol
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Noguer
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Villena
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lorita
authors.forename: Senén
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vilaró
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reina
mesh_terms: D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D019812:Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense / Q000494:pharmacology; D053669:Syndecan-2 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D019812:Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense; D053669:Syndecan-2