Localization and possible role of membrane type metallo-proteinase and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase-1 in early stages of placentation

Human placental tissues from the first and second trimesters of gestation have been investigated using riboprobein situ hybridisation of mRNA sequences coding for membrane type metalloproteinase (MT-1-MMP) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1). Results show that (i) both mRNAs express at a relatively high level in the chorion laeve trophoblast cells and the adjacent decidual cells of fetal membrane; (ii) the most abundant expression of the two mRNAs was found in the extravillous trophoblast between Rohrs and Nitabuch striae of basal plate, trophoblast shell and gland cells of the decidua; (iii) isolated or small groups of cytotrophoblast cells in the chorionic villi and in the cells lining arterioles in decidua and stem villi also expressed both MT-1-MMP and TIMP-1 at defferent extents. The data suggest that the coordinated expression of the MT-MMP and its inhibitor TIMP in defferent cells of the placental tissue may play an essential role in trophoblast invasion and angiogenesis related to placentation in the first two trimesters of gestation. They may also have an ability to effect separation of fetal from material tissue at a favorable junctional site during parturition.     

Localization and the possible role of plasminogen activators and inhibitors in early stages of placentation

The distribution of mRNAs of tissue type (t) and urokinase type (u) plasminogen activator (PA) plus their corresponding inhibitors, type-1 (PAI-1) and type-2 (PAI-2) have been studied in the tissues of human first and second trimester placentae by in situ hybridization. The results show that: (ⅰ) All the molecules, tPA, uPA, PAI-1 and PAI-2, were identified in the blood vessels, the majority of extravillous trophoblastic cells of the decidual layer between Rohr’s and Nitabuch’s stria and in the trophoblast cells lining the chorionic plate, basal plate, intercotyledonary septae and cytotrophoblast cells of the chorionic villous tree. (ⅱ) No expression of such probes was observed in the basal and chorionic plate, glandular cells of the decidua, the septal tissues or the villous core mesenchyme. The co-distribution of the molecules observed suggests that the co-ordinated expression of the activators and inhibitors in various cells of the placental tissue may play a role in angiogenesis related to conversion of spiral arteries into utero-placental arteries and establishment of a chorio-decidual blood flow during early stages of placentation.     

Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in rat uterus during peri-implantation

The first distinct mark of rodent implantation is the increased vascular permeability and significant angiogenesis at the sites of blastocyst implantation, but its mechanism is not clearly defined. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is the key mediator for angiogenesis during embryogenesis and adult span and also serves as a vascular permeability factor. The aim of this study is to explore VEGF regulation mechanism and the possible role that VEGF plays in implantation by studying the VEGF expression and angiogenesis in the rat uterus during estrous cycle, ovarioectomized and peri-implantation stages usingin situ message RNA hybridization and confocal laser scanning techniques. The results indicated that VEGF was regulated by ovarian steroid hormones. VEGF expression before implantation was localized at luminal epithelium, shifted to stroma as implantation initiated and extensively located at the decidualizing stroma region after implantation. Bandeiraea simplicifolia-1 (BS-1) agglutinin and antibody against von Willebrand factor (vWF) were used to mark the endothelial cells and blood vessels. The results showed that the active angiogenesis occurred during the implantation process and this effect was probably mediated by VEGF. The results suggest that under the regulation of ovarian steroid hormones, VEGF plays an essential role in angiogenesis and increasing vascular permeability in endometrium, which are necessary for successful implantation.     

血管内皮生长因子对女性生殖功能的调控及其临床意义

血管内皮生长因子是一种特异性血管生长因子，在血管的发生中发挥重要作用。在卵巢、子宫内膜、胎盘等部位有丰富的VEGF及其受体的表达，对女性生殖功能发挥重要的调控作用。近年来VEGF在妇产科领域的临床研究结果表明，VEGF的异常表达与卵巢癌、妊娠高血压、子宫内膜异位症有着密切的关系。     

电刺激小脑顶核促脑缺血后血管内皮生长因子表达的意义

探讨电刺激小脑顶核(FNS)对局部脑缺血后血管内皮生长因子(VEGF)表达和毛细血管新生的影响．以线栓法制成大鼠右侧大脑中动脉梗塞模型(MCAO)，大鼠随机分为假手术对照组、MCAO组、电刺激小脑顶(MCAO FNS)干预组，以免疫组织化学法检测VEGF、内皮细胞阳性表达及毛细血管记数，大脑中动脉梗塞后，缺血区神经元变性、坏死，VEGF、内皮细胞在半暗带有少量表达，毛细血管数较对照组增加，经电刺激小脑顶核干预后，VEGF、内皮细胞大量表达，毛细血管数目明显增加，有统计学差异．电刺激小脑顶核可通过促VEGF表达、内皮细胞增殖，从而促进毛细血管新生。     

Role of plasminogen activators and inhibitors in reproduction

The recent progress in the studies on the role of local and directed fibrinolysis controlled by plasminogen activators (PAs) and regulated by their inhibitors (PAIs) in reproduction is summarized. Hormone-induced coordinated expression of tissue type PA (tPA) and PAI type-1 (PAI-1) in the ovary is involved in the processes of ovulation and luteal regression; increases in urokinase type PA (uPA) and PAI-1 activity in the early stage of luteinized follicles may be responsible for ovarian tissue remodeling and angiogenesis; the PA system has been found to play an important role in spermatogenesis in testis and modulation of sperm maturation in epididymis. PA and matrix matalloproteanase (MMP) and their respective inhibitors have also been identified in trophoblast and uterus. The targeted proteolytic activity generated by the two systems may play an essential role in the processes of the cyclic uterine angiogenesis, implantation and placentation as well as parturition.     

Homoharringtonine induces apoptosis of endothelium and down－regulates VEGF expression of K562 cells

Homoharringtonine (HHT) has currently been used successfully in the treatment of acute and chronic myeloid leukemias and has been shown to induce apoptosis of different types of leukemic cells in vitro. Emerging evidence suggests that angiogenesis may play an important role in hematological malignancies, such as leukemia. However, whether HHT can relieve leukemia by anti-angiogenesis is still unknown. We investigated the anti-angiogenesis potential of HHT with the human umbilical vein endothelial cell line (ECV304) and leukemic cell line (K562) in vitro. Cellular proliferation was determined by MTT assay and apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry, The mRNA expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was assessed by RT-PCR and VEGF protein production was detected by Western blot. Inhibition of cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis by HHT were discovered in ECV304 cells, and appeared in a dose- and time-dependent manner, Also, treatment with HHT caused down-regulation of VEGF mRNA expression in K562 cells in similar dose- and time-dependent manner and inhibition of VEGF protein production in K562 cells in response to the enhancing concentration of HHT. The results demonstrated that HHT could also induce apoptosis in endothelium and down-regulate VEGF expression in K562 cells. In conclusion, we believe HHT has anti-angiogenesis potential and speculate that HHT might exert its anti-leukemia effects via reduction of angiogenesis.     

Inducible nitric oxide synthase expression is related to angiogenesis,bcl—2 and cell proliferation in hepatocellular carcinoma

In this study,we examined the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS) and vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) by immunohistochemical staining in 76 tissue sections collected from bepa-tocellular carcinoma(HCC) patients undergoing hepatectomy.Microvascular density (MVD) was determined by counting endothelial cells immunostained using anti-CD34 antibody.We performed DNA-flow cytometric analyses to elucidate the impact of iNOS and VEGF expression on the cell cycle of HCC.Most of the HCC cells that invaded stroma were markedly immunostained by iNOS antibody.The iNOS stain intensity of the liv-er tissue close to the tumor edge was stronger than that of HCC tissue,and the strongest was the hepatocytes colser to the tumor tissue.However,iNOS expression in 10 normal hepatic samples was undetectable.VEGF positive expression ratio was 84.8% in iNOS positive expression cases,and the ratio was 35.3% in negative cases.There was significant correlation(P=0.000) between iNOS and VEGF expression.Moreover,iNOS expression was significantly associated with bcl-2 and MVD,but without p53 expression.DNA-flow cytometric analyses showed that combined expression of iNOS and VEGF had significant impact on the cell cycle in HCC.PI(Proliferating Index) and SPF(S-phase fraction)in the combined positive expression of iNOS and VEGF group was significantly higher than that in the combined negative group.The present findings suggested that iNOS expression was significantly associated with angiogenesis,bcl-2 and cell proliferation of HCC.     

白藜芦醇诱导VEGF表达促进缺血再灌注小鼠新生血管形成

研究白藜芦醇能否诱导小鼠缺血,再灌注后缺血区域新生血管形成及其与血管内皮细胞生长因子(VEGF)表达的相关性,用90只雄性BALB/c小鼠随机分为单纯缺血组、白藜芦醇组及假手术组,采用大脑中动脉线栓法制作局灶性脑缺血模型,免疫组化法测定微血管密度,Western blot检测VEGF蛋白表达.结果白藜芦醇处理组与单纯缺血对照组微血管计数存在差异,并且有统计学意义(P<0. 05),白藜芦醇处理组在各时间点VEGF蛋白表达水平均较高(P<0.05).说明白藜芦醇可以诱导脑缺血后VEGF早期表达,促进缺血区域新生血管形成,发挥脑保护作用.     

A role for VEGF as a negative regulator of pericyte function and vessel maturation

Angiogenesis does not only depend on endothelial cell invasion and proliferation: it also requires pericyte coverage of vascular sprouts for vessel stabilization. These processes are coordinated by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) through their cognate receptors on endothelial cells and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), respectively. PDGF induces neovascularization by priming VSMCs/pericytes to release pro-angiogenic mediators. Although VEGF directly stimulates endothelial cell proliferation and migration, its role in pericyte biology is less clear. Here we define a role for VEGF as an inhibitor of neovascularization on the basis of its capacity to disrupt VSMC function. Specifically, under conditions of PDGF-mediated angiogenesis, VEGF ablates pericyte coverage of nascent vascular sprouts, leading to vessel destabilization. At the molecular level, VEGF-mediated activation of VEGF-R2 suppresses PDGF-Rbeta signalling in VSMCs through the assembly of a previously undescribed receptor complex consisting of PDGF-Rbeta and VEGF-R2. Inhibition of VEGF-R2 not only prevents assembly of this receptor complex but also restores angiogenesis in tissues exposed to both VEGF and PDGF. Finally, genetic deletion of tumour cell VEGF disrupts PDGF-Rbeta/VEGF-R2 complex formation and increases tumour vessel maturation. These findings underscore the importance of VSMCs/pericytes in neovascularization and reveal a dichotomous role for VEGF and VEGF-R2 signalling as both a promoter of endothelial cell function and a negative regulator of VSMCs and vessel maturation.     

Blockade of Dll4 inhibits tumour growth by promoting non-productive angiogenesis

Tumour growth requires accompanying expansion of the host vasculature, with tumour progression often correlated with vascular density. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is the best-characterized inducer of tumour angiogenesis. We report that VEGF dynamically regulates tumour endothelial expression of Delta-like ligand 4 (Dll4), which was previously shown to be absolutely required for normal embryonic vascular development. To define Dll4 function in tumour angiogenesis, we manipulated this pathway in murine tumour models using several approaches. Here we show that blockade resulted in markedly increased tumour vascularity, associated with enhanced angiogenic sprouting and branching. Paradoxically, this increased vascularity was non-productive-as shown by poor perfusion and increased hypoxia, and most importantly, by decreased tumour growth-even for tumours resistant to anti-VEGF therapy. Thus, VEGF-induced Dll4 acts as a negative regulator of tumour angiogenesis; its blockade results in a striking uncoupling of tumour growth from vessel density, presenting a novel therapeutic approach even for tumours resistant to anti-VEGF therapies.     

Identification of an angiogenic mitogen selective for endocrine gland endothelium

The known endothelial mitogens stimulate growth of vascular endothelial cells without regard to their tissue of origin. Here we report a growth factor that is expressed largely in one type of tissue and acts selectively on one type of endothelium. This molecule, called endocrine-gland-derived vascular endothelial growth factor (EG-VEGF), induced proliferation, migration and fenestration (the formation of membrane discontinuities) in capillary endothelial cells derived from endocrine glands. However, EG-VEGF had little or no effect on a variety of other endothelial and non-endothelial cell types tested. Similar to VEGF, EG-VEGF possesses a HIF-1 binding site, and its expression is induced by hypoxia. Both EG-VEGF and VEGF resulted in extensive angiogenesis and cyst formation when delivered in the ovary. However, unlike VEGF, EG-VEGF failed to promote angiogenesis in the cornea or skeletal muscle. Expression of human EG-VEGF messenger RNA is restricted to the steroidogenic glands, ovary, testis, adrenal and placenta and is often complementary to the expression of VEGF, suggesting that these molecules function in a coordinated manner. EG-VEGF is an example of a class of highly specific mitogens that act to regulate proliferation and differentiation of the vascular endothelium in a tissue-specific manner.     

血管内皮生长因子表达及微血管密度与头颈肿瘤发展和转移的关系

研究血管内皮细胞生因子(VBGV)的表达及微血管密度(MVD)与头颈肿瘤发展及转移的关系.应用免疫组织化学S-P法,检测32例头颈恶性肿瘤、20例头颈良性肿瘤、16例头颈部无瘤组织石蜡标本组织中的血管内皮细胞生长因子(VEGF)的表达、微血管密度(MVD).头颈恶性肿瘤组织VEGF的表达及MVD明显高于头颈良性肿瘤及头颈无瘤组织(P<0.05),转移组比较非转移组高(P<0.05).此外,在头颈肿瘤的发展及转移中VEGF的表达及MVD具有显著的正相关关系(r=0.398,<0.05).VEGF与头颈肿瘤血管生成有密切关系;VEGF的表达和MVD的增高对头颈肿瘤发展及转移有促进作用,其检测有可能作为头颈肿瘤预后的指标.     

Effect of matrix metallo-proteinase-26 (MMP-26) during embryo implantation in the mouse

Matrix metalloproteinase-26 (MMP-26, endometase and matrilysin-2), a novel member of the MMPs family, is detected not only in the placenta and uterus, but is widely expressed in malignant tumors from different sources as well as in diverse tumor cell lines. However, the function of MMP-26 in the reproductive system has never been reported. Expression of MMP-26 in mouse embryos and the function of the MMP-26 antibody during mouse embryo implantation was examined for the first time by injecting the uterine horn, immunohistochemistry,in situ hybridization, co-culture of mouse blastocysts and uterine monolayer epithelial cells, Western blot, RT-PCR, Northern blot and zymography. Our results show that there is strong expression of MMP-26 mRNA and protein in the mouse embryo. Furthermore, the MMP-26 antibody dramatically inhibited mouse embryo implantation and significantly inhibited adhesion and outgrowth of mouse blastocysts onin vitro uterine monolayer epithelial cells. At the same time, the MMP-26 antibody inhibited the expression of integrin αV mRNA and protein in a dose-dependent manner. These data suggest that MMP-26 may play a role in some of the tissue-remodeling events associated with the invasion of the endometrium by trophoblast cells and facilitate successfully embryo implantation.     

黄芪丹参配伍提取物经VEGF、Ang1／Tie2通路对MI大鼠血管新生的病理影响

为观察黄芪、丹参配伍提取物对心肌梗死大鼠VEGF（vascular endothelial growth factor）、血管生成素Ang1及其受体酪氨酸激酶Tie2信号通路的表达影响。通过心肌梗死大鼠模型复制成功后分为假手术对照组、模型组、黄芪、丹参配伍提取物低、中、高剂量组,分别予以对应药物灌胃4周。观察大鼠一般生活状态,并分别采用HE染色和免疫组织化学染色测试大鼠心肌组织病理形态结构和VEGF、Ang1、Tie2的蛋白表达。结果表明：模型组心肌结构紊乱伴有炎性侵润,VEGF、Ang1和Tie2蛋白表达较假手术对照组有所增加（P＜0.05）;低、中、高剂量组随着药物浓度梯度增加,心肌结构逐渐规整,内皮细胞完整、新生血管增多,与模型组比较差异显著（P＜0.05或P＜0.01）。可见黄芪、丹参配伍提取物可以上调心肌梗死大鼠VEGF、Ang1和Tie2的表达,促进血管新生。     

Matrix metalloproteinases （MMPs） and trophoblast invasion

MMPs and their natural tissue inhibitors TIMPs are crucial in coordinated breakdown and remodeling of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in physiological and pathological situations. Placentation is a key event of pregnancy in which MMPs/TIMPs system plays important roles in regulating the extravillus cytotrophoblast (EVTs) invasion. This paper focuses on expression patterns and regulatory mechanisms of MMPs/TIMPs family members during the process of placentation. Their implications in curing pregnancy-related diseases are also discussed.     

Vascular endothelial growth factor is a potential tumour angiogenesis factor in human gliomas in vivo.

Clinical and experimental studies suggest that angiogenesis is a prerequisite for solid tumour growth. Several growth factors with mitogenic or chemotactic activity for endothelial cells in vitro have been described, but it is not known whether these mediate tumour vascularization in vivo. Glioblastoma, the most common and most malignant brain tumour in humans, is distinguished from astrocytoma by the presence of necroses and vascular proliferations. Here we show that expression of an endothelial cell-specific mitogen, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), is induced in astrocytoma cells but is dramatically upregulated in two apparently different subsets of glioblastoma cells. The high-affinity tyrosine kinase receptor for VEGF, flt, although not expressed in normal brain endothelium, is upregulated in tumour endothelial cells in vivo. These observations strongly support the concept that tumour angiogenesis is regulated by paracrine mechanisms and identify VEGF as a potential tumour angiogenesis factor in vivo.     

人纤溶酶原K1—3区基因在大肠杆菌中的表达

将人纤溶酶原Krigle 1-3(K1-3)基因插入融合表达载体pET-17b，获得重组质粒pET-K13,转化E.coli BI21(DE3),在IPTG诱导下，人纤溶酶原K1－3基因在E.coli BI21(DE3,pET-K13)中获得高效融合表达，表达量占菌体总蛋白的24％，表达产物以包函体存在，Western blot证明重组 蛋白对人纤溶酶原抗血清有特异免疫原性。     

Regulation of activin A in cell proliferation and hormone secretion by human normal trophoblast cells

Regulation of activin A in cell proliferation as well as hCG and progesterone secretion was investigated using primary cultured cytotrophoblast cells and normal placenta origin cytotrophoblast cell line-NPC cells in serum-free system. It was shown that activin A promoted hCG and progesterone secretion in primary cultured cytotrophoblast cells as well as progesterone secretion in NPC cells, while it had no effect on cell proliferation and hCG secretion in NPC cells. Important evidence is provided for the autocrine regulatory mechanism of activin A on hormone secretion in placental trophoblast cells at early pregnancy.