Angiotensinogen and its cleaved derivatives inhibit angiogenesis

Hypertension. 2002 Feb;39(2):224-8. doi: 10.1161/hy0202.103441.

Abstract

The members of the serine protease inhibitor (serpin) family, which share a common tertiary structure and a role as serin protease inhibitors, are involved in a variety of newly discovered functions. For example, antithrombin III exerts a strong antiangiogenic activity. Angiotensinogen, the renin substrate, has a folded structure and is a member of the noninhibitory serpin subfamily. Two other noninhibitory serpins, maspin and pigment epithelium-derived factor, have antiangiogenic properties. We investigated the antiangiogenic effect of angiotensinogen and 2 related compounds: (1) des(angiotensin I)angiotensinogen, the product of angiotensinogen cleavage by renin, and (2) the reactive center loop-cleaved angiotensinogen, which is produced after selective and limited proteolysis by the protease V8. We used well-established in vitro (endothelial cell proliferation and migration, and capillary-like tube formation on Matrigel) and in vivo (the chick chorioallantoic membrane assay) models of angiogenesis to evaluate the antiangiogenic activities of these 3 related molecules. Our data demonstrated that these compounds exerted a clear and equipotent antiangiogenic effect, thus attributing a novel function to angiotensinogen and des(angiotensin I)angiotensinogen, for which no function was previously known.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Allantois / blood supply
  • Angiotensinogen / chemistry
  • Angiotensinogen / pharmacology*
  • Animals
  • Cell Division / drug effects
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Movement / drug effects
  • Chick Embryo
  • Chorion / blood supply
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Endothelial Growth Factors / pharmacology
  • Endothelium, Vascular / cytology
  • Endothelium, Vascular / drug effects
  • Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Keratinocytes / cytology
  • Keratinocytes / drug effects
  • Lymphokines / pharmacology
  • Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / cytology
  • Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / drug effects
  • Neovascularization, Physiologic / drug effects*
  • Peptide Fragments / pharmacology
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors

Substances

  • Endothelial Growth Factors
  • Lymphokines
  • Peptide Fragments
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
  • Fibroblast Growth Factor 2
  • Angiotensinogen