title: COSMC is overexpressed in proliferating infantile hemangioma and enhances endothelial cell growth via VEGFR2.
abstract: Infantile hemangiomas are localized lesions comprised primarily of aberrant endothelial cells. COSMC plays a crucial role in blood vessel formation and is characterized as a molecular chaperone of T-synthase which catalyzes the synthesis of T antigen (Galβ1,3GalNAc). T antigen expression is associated with tumor malignancy in many cancers. However, roles of COSMC in infantile hemangioma are still unclear. In this study, immunohistochemistry showed that COSMC was upregulated in proliferating hemangiomas compared with involuted hemangiomas. Higher levels of T antigen expression were also observed in the proliferating hemangioma. Overexpression of COSMC significantly enhanced cell growth and phosphorylation of AKT and ERK in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Conversely, knockdown of COSMC with siRNA inhibited endothelial cell growth. Mechanistic investigation showed that O-glycans were present on VEGFR2 and these structures were modulated by COSMC. Furthermore, VEGFR2 degradation was delayed by COSMC overexpression and facilitated by COSMC knockdown. We also showed that COSMC was able to regulate VEGF-triggered phosphorylation of VEGFR2. Our results suggest that COSMC is a novel regulator for VEGFR2 signaling in endothelial cells and dysregulation of COSMC expression may contribute to the pathogenesis of hemangioma.
authors: Graduate Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors: Jian
authors: J
authors: Lee
authors: Chia-Hua
authors: CH
authors: Chen
authors: Ya-Hsin
authors: YH
authors: Chen
authors: Miao-Juei
authors: MJ
authors: Huang
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Huang
authors: Ji-Shiang
authors: JS
authors: Hung
authors: Ming-Ting
authors: MT
authors: Chen
authors: Min-Chuan
authors: MC
authors: Huang
mesh_terms: D000957:Antigens, Viral, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D055785:Gene Knockdown Techniques; D006031:Glycosylation; D006391:Hemangioma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D061307:Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018832:Molecular Chaperones / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D059748:Proteolysis; D015398:Signal Transduction; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000957:Antigens, Viral, Tumor; C505369:C1GALT1C1 protein, human; D018832:Molecular Chaperones; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2