title: Ornithine decarboxylase and extracellular polyamines regulate microvascular sprouting and actin cytoskeleton dynamics in endothelial cells.
abstract: The polyamines are essential for cancer cell proliferation during tumorigenesis. Targeted inhibition of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), i.e. a key enzyme of polyamine biosynthesis, by alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) has shown anti-neoplastic activity in various experimental models. This activity has mainly been attributed to the anti-proliferative effect of DFMO in cancer cells. Here, we provide evidence that unperturbed ODC activity is a requirement for proper microvessel sprouting ex vivo as well as the migration of primary human endothelial cells. DFMO-mediated ODC inhibition was reversed by extracellular polyamine supplementation, showing that anti-angiogenic effects of DFMO were specifically related to polyamine levels. ODC inhibition was associated with an abnormal morphology of the actin cytoskeleton during cell spreading and migration. Moreover, our data suggest that de-regulated actin cytoskeleton dynamics in DFMO treated endothelial cells may be related to constitutive activation of the small GTPase CDC42, i.e. a well-known regulator of cell motility and actin cytoskeleton remodeling. These insights into the potential role of polyamines in angiogenesis should stimulate further studies testing the combined anti-tumor effect of polyamine inhibition and established anti-angiogenic therapies in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, Division of Oncology, Lund University and Lund University Hospital, Sweden.
authors.forename: Paulina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kucharzewska
authors.forename: Johanna E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Welch
authors.forename: Katrin J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Svensson
authors.forename: Mattias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Belting
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002465:Cell Movement; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism*; D000518:Eflornithine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008833:Microcirculation; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D009955:Ornithine Decarboxylase / Q000378:metabolism; D065108:Ornithine Decarboxylase Inhibitors; D011073:Polyamines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014471:Umbilical Veins; D014945:Wound Healing; D020764:cdc42 GTP-Binding Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D020830:rac1 GTP-Binding Protein / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D065108:Ornithine Decarboxylase Inhibitors; D011073:Polyamines; D020764:cdc42 GTP-Binding Protein; D020830:rac1 GTP-Binding Protein; D009955:Ornithine Decarboxylase; D000518:Eflornithine