title: Inhibition of Rho-dependent kinases ROCK I/II activates VEGF-driven retinal neovascularization and sprouting angiogenesis.
abstract: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is an endothelial-specific growth factor that activates the small GTPase RhoA. While the role of RhoA for VEGF-driven endothelial migration and angiogenesis has been studied in detail, the function of its target proteins, the Rho-dependent kinases ROCK I and II, are controversially discussed. Using the mouse model of oxygen-induced proliferative retinopathy, ROCK I/II inhibition by H-1152 resulted in increased angiogenesis. This enhanced angiogenesis, however, was completely blocked by the VEGF-receptor antagonist PTK787/ZK222584. Loss-of-function experiments in endothelial cells revealed that inhibition of ROCK I/II using the pharmacological inhibitor H-1152 and ROCK I/II-specific small-interfering RNAs resulted in a rise of VEGF-driven sprouting angiogenesis. These functional data were biochemically substantiated by showing an enhanced VEGF-receptor kinase insert domain receptor phosphorylation and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 activation after inhibition of ROCK I/II. Thus our data identify that the inhibition of Rho-dependent kinases ROCK I/II activates angiogenesis both, in vitro and in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Center for Biomedicine and Medical Technology Mannheim, Joint Research Division Vascular Biology Medical Faculty Mannheim, Univ. of Heidelberg and the German Cancer Research Center, Ludolf-Krehl-Str. 13-17, 68167 Mannheim, Germany. kroll@angiogenese.de
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kroll
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Epting
authors.forename: Katrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kern
authors.forename: Christian T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Dietz
authors.forename: Yuxi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Hans-Peter
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Hammes
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wieland
authors.forename: Hellmut G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Augustin
mesh_terms: D019307:1-(5-Isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-Methylpiperazine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D043925:Angiogenesis Inducing Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000187:drug effects*; D010100:Oxygen; D010793:Phthalazines / Q000494:pharmacology; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011725:Pyridines / Q000494:pharmacology; D034622:RNA Interference; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000378:metabolism; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D015861:Retinal Neovascularization / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000201:enzymology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C459092:2-methyl-1-((4-methyl-5-isoquinolinyl)sulfonyl)homopiperazine; D043925:Angiogenesis Inducing Agents; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D010793:Phthalazines; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D011725:Pyridines; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C467480:vascular endothelial growth factor A, mouse; C404768:vatalanib; D019307:1-(5-Isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-Methylpiperazine; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor; C515851:ROCK1 protein, human; C515852:ROCK2 protein, human; C515854:Rock1 protein, mouse; C515855:Rock2 protein, mouse; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D010100:Oxygen