title: Actin-tethered junctional complexes in angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis in association with vascular endothelial growth factor.
abstract: Vasculature is present in all tissues and therefore is indispensable for development, biology, and pathology of multicellular organisms. Endothelial cells guarantee proper function of the vessels and are the original component in angiogenesis. Morphogenesis of the vascular system utilizes processes like cell adhesion, motility, proliferation, and survival that are closely related to the dynamics of actin filaments and actin-tethered adhesion complexes. Here we review involvement of actin cytoskeleton-associated junctional molecules of endothelial cells in angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis. Particularly, we focus on F-actin binding protein afadin, an adaptor protein involved in broad range of signaling mechanisms. Afadin mediates the pathways of vascular endothelial growth factor- (VEGF-) and sphingosine 1-phosphate-triggered angiogenesis and is essential for embryonic development of lymph vessels in mice. We propose that targeting actin-tethered junctional molecules, including afadin, may present a new approach to angiogenic therapy that in combination with today used medications like VEGF inhibitors will benefit against development of pathological angiogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular Medical Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Seta Tsukinowa-cho, Shiga, Otsu 520-2192, Japan.
authors.forename: Dimitar P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Zankov
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular Medical Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Seta Tsukinowa-cho, Shiga, Otsu 520-2192, Japan.
authors.forename: Hisakazu
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-6750-1668
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ogita
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism; D051177:Catenins / Q000378:metabolism; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D016023:Integrins / Q000378:metabolism; D042583:Lymphangiogenesis; D042601:Lymphatic Vessels / Q000473:pathology; D008246:Lysophospholipids / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D013110:Sphingosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism; D000095002:Delta Catenin; D000099152:Cadherin 5
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D015703:Antigens, CD; D015820:Cadherins; D051177:Catenins; D016023:Integrins; D008246:Lysophospholipids; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D013110:Sphingosine; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D051176:beta Catenin; D000095002:Delta Catenin; D000099152:Cadherin 5; C108835:afadin; C060506:sphingosine 1-phosphate