Autocrine activity of soluble Flt-1 controls endothelial cell function and angiogenesis.
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Ahmad S, Hewett PW, Al-Ani B, Sissaoui S, Fujisawa T, Cudmore MJ, Ahmed A
Autocrine activity of soluble Flt-1 controls endothelial cell function and angiogenesis.
Vasc Cell. 2011 Jul 13;3(1):15. doi: 10.1186/2045-824X-3-15.
- PubMed ID
- 21752276 [ View in PubMed]
- Abstract
BACKGROUND: The negative feedback system is an important physiological regulatory mechanism controlling angiogenesis. Soluble vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor-1 (sFlt-1), acts as a potent endogenous soluble inhibitor of VEGF- and placenta growth factor (PlGF)-mediated biological function and can also form dominant-negative complexes with competent full-length VEGF receptors. METHODS AND RESULTS: Systemic overexpression of VEGF-A in mice resulted in significantly elevated circulating sFlt-1. In addition, stimulation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) with VEGF-A, induced a five-fold increase in sFlt-1 mRNA, a time-dependent significant increase in the release of sFlt-1 into the culture medium and activation of the flt-1 gene promoter. This response was dependent on VEGF receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) and phosphoinositide-3'-kinase signalling. siRNA-mediated knockdown of sFlt-1 in HUVEC stimulated the activation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase, increased basal and VEGF-induced cell migration and enhanced endothelial tube formation on growth factor reduced Matrigel. In contrast, adenoviral overexpression of sFlt-1 suppressed phosphorylation of VEGFR-2 at tyrosine 951 and ERK-1/-2 MAPK and reduced HUVEC proliferation. Preeclampsia is associated with elevated placental and systemic sFlt-1. Phosphorylation of VEGFR-2 tyrosine 951 was greatly reduced in placenta from preeclamptic patients compared to gestationally-matched normal placenta. CONCLUSION: These results show that endothelial sFlt-1 expression is regulated by VEGF and acts as an autocrine regulator of endothelial cell function.