Involvement of gamma-secretase in postnatal angiogenesis

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2007 Nov 23;363(3):584-90. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2007.09.003. Epub 2007 Sep 14.

Abstract

gamma-Secretase cleaves the transmembrane domains of several integral membrane proteins involved in vasculogenesis. Here, we investigated the role of gamma-secretase in the regulation of postnatal angiogenesis using gamma-secretase inhibitors (GSI). In endothelial cell (EC), gamma-secretase activity was up-regulated under hypoxia or the treatment of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The treatment of GSI significantly attenuated growth factor-induced EC proliferation and migration as well as c-fos promoter activity in a dose-dependent manner. In vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC), treatment of GSI significantly attenuated growth factor-induced VEGF and fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) expression. Indeed, GSI attenuated VEGF-induced tube formation and inhibited FGF-2-induced angiogenesis on matrigel in mice as quantified by FITC-lectin staining of EC. Overall, we demonstrated that gamma-secretase may be key molecule in postnatal angiogenesis which may be downstream molecule of growth factor-induced growth and migration in EC, and regulate the expression of angiogenic growth factors in VSMC.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases / genetics
  • Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases / metabolism*
  • Animals
  • Blood Vessels / drug effects
  • Blood Vessels / enzymology
  • Blood Vessels / physiology
  • Blotting, Western
  • Carbamates / pharmacology
  • Cattle
  • Cell Movement / drug effects
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Dipeptides / pharmacology
  • Endothelial Cells / cytology
  • Endothelial Cells / drug effects
  • Endothelial Cells / metabolism*
  • Epidermal Growth Factor / pharmacology
  • Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / pharmacology
  • Gene Expression / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / cytology
  • Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / drug effects
  • Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / metabolism*
  • Neovascularization, Physiologic / drug effects
  • Neovascularization, Physiologic / physiology*
  • Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / analysis
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / genetics
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Substrate Specificity
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / pharmacology

Substances

  • Carbamates
  • Dipeptides
  • L 685458
  • N-(N-(3,5-difluorophenacetyl)alanyl)phenylglycine tert-butyl ester
  • Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • Fibroblast Growth Factor 2
  • Epidermal Growth Factor
  • Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases