软骨血管生成抑制因子抑制血管生成及其抗肿瘤作用的研究

测定了小牛软骨血管生成抑制因子对血管内皮细胞细胞毒作用,对内皮细胞骨架系统及其运动迁移的抑制效应,对小鼠肿瘤生长的对抑制效应。     

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.     

Capillary endothelial cells express basic fibroblast growth factor, a mitogen that promotes their own growth

Angiogenesis, the formation of new capillaries, which is observed in embryonic and injured tissue and is particularly prominent in the vicinity of solid tumours, involves the migration and proliferation of capillary endothelial cells. It is probably triggered by agents, such as basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), thought to be released from tissues adjacent to proliferating capillaries. As well as being a potent inducer of cell division in capillary endothelial cells in vitro, bFGF can act as an angiogenic agent in vivo. It is present in a wide variety of richly vascularized tissues including brain, pituitary, retina, adrenal gland, kidney, corpus luteum, placenta and various tumours. So far, however, the normal bFGF-producing cell species in these tissues have not been identified. We report here that capillary endothelial cells express the bFGF gene, that they produce and release bFGF and that bFGF derived from them can stimulate the proliferation of capillary endothelial cells. We conclude that bFGF can act as a self-stimulating growth factor for capillary endothelial cells, and that it is possible that the formation of new capillaries is induced by capillary endothelial cells themselves.     

端粒酶转染防治角膜内皮失代偿的研究

目的评价端粒酶转染对角膜内皮细胞形态和功能的影响。方法将体外培养的猫角膜内皮细胞随机分为3组,兔端粒酶基因转染组、正常对照组和表皮生长因子组。培养30代后观察传代细胞形态和细胞周期各时相细胞比例的变化,检测端粒酶逆转录酶蛋白和Ⅳ型胶原的表达。结果兔端粒酶基因转染组细胞数目较正常对照组和表皮生长因子组增多,伸展贴壁能力增强,表型正常,G2～M期和S期细胞比例显著增加,端粒酶逆转录酶蛋白和Ⅳ型胶原的表达也较正常对照组增多。结论兔端粒酶转染可以促进猫角膜内皮细胞增殖且表型正常,可以增强其伸展粘附能力和分泌功能,有利于防治角膜内皮失代偿。     

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.     

血管内皮生长因子研究进展

血管内皮生长因子是一种有效的血管形成和血管通透性诱导因子,特异性地作用于血管内皮细胞,具有维持血管正常状态和完整性、增加血管通透性、促进血管生成的作用。在正常成人和动物组织中表达水平较低,一些代谢旺盛、血供丰富的组织中VEGF表达水平略高,一些病理情况下可以过度表达。     

WAVE2 is required for directed cell migration and cardiovascular development

WAVE2, a protein related to Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein, is crucial for Rac-induced membrane ruffling, which is important in cell motility. Cell movement is essential for morphogenesis, but it is unclear how cell movement is regulated or related to morphogenesis. Here we show the physiological functions of WAVE2 by disruption of the WAVE2 gene in mice. WAVE2 was expressed predominantly in vascular endothelial cells during embryogenesis. WAVE2-/- embryos showed haemorrhages and died at about embryonic day 10. Deficiency in WAVE2 had no significant effect on vasculogenesis, but it decreased sprouting and branching of endothelial cells from existing vessels during angiogenesis. In WAVE2-/- endothelial cells, cell polarity formed in response to vascular endothelial growth factor, but the formation of lamellipodia at leading edges and capillaries was severely impaired. These findings indicate that WAVE2-regulated actin reorganization might be required for proper cell movement and that a lack of functional WAVE2 impairs angiogenesis in vivo.     

血小板衍生生长因子PDGF与肿瘤血管生成的研究进展

血小板衍生生长因子（platelet-derived growth factor,PDGF）是由多种细胞产生的重要多肽生长因子,可促进结缔组织细胞（如血管内皮细胞、平滑肌细胞）增殖等。PDGF家族目前已知的有4个成员,即PDGF-A,B,C,D。具有生物活性的PDGF分子一般以二硫键连接的同源二聚体或异源二聚体形式组成。PDGF经其受体PDGFR（platelet-derived growth factor receptor,PDGFR）介导后产生相应的生物学效应。体内外研究证实PDGF与肿瘤血管生成密切相关,PDGF主要通过募集周细胞刺激肿瘤血管生成,且周细胞的募集有利于肿瘤血管的成熟、稳定和存活。靶向PDGF的抗血管生成药物已成为肿瘤血管生成抑制剂中新的重要成员。     

血管内皮生长因子、微血管密度与大肠癌浸润转移及预后的关系

大肠癌是最常见消化道肿瘤之一,大多数大肠癌患者多死于肿瘤的转移与扩散,而血管新生是大肠癌恶性演变过程中最重要的环节之一,血管内皮生长因子能特异性作用于血管内皮细胞,促进其有丝分裂,使部分血管形成和增加血管通透性,在大肠癌的生长、浸润和转移过程中发挥重要作用.     

早期胚胎体外培养相关细胞因子研究进展

综述了五种细胞因子(表皮生长因子,转化生长因子,白血病抑制因子,胰岛素样生长因子和血管内皮生长因子)对于克服哺乳动物早期胚胎发育阻滞发挥的积极作用.     

卵巢癌转移相关基因及其信号传导途径

卵巢癌转移是一个复杂的过程。这些过程与粘附、降解、运动等行为密切相关,涉及到很多分子的变化,包括相关黏附分子、蛋白水解酶、趋化因子、血管内皮细胞生长因子（VEGF）等。随着研究的深入,对卵巢癌转移相关的基因及其信号传导途径有了更多的了解,这些成果也为临床实践提供了机会。     

Inhibition of Dll4 signalling inhibits tumour growth by deregulating angiogenesis

Haploinsufficiency of Dll4, a vascular-specific Notch ligand, has shown that it is essential for embryonic vascular development and arteriogenesis. Mechanistically, it is unclear how the Dll4-mediated Notch pathway contributes to complex vascular processes that demand meticulous coordination of multiple signalling pathways. Here we show that Dll4-mediated Notch signalling has a unique role in regulating endothelial cell proliferation and differentiation. Neutralizing Dll4 with a Dll4-selective antibody rendered endothelial cells hyperproliferative, and caused defective cell fate specification or differentiation both in vitro and in vivo. In addition, blocking Dll4 inhibited tumour growth in several tumour models. Remarkably, antibodies against Dll4 and antibodies against vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) had paradoxically distinct effects on tumour vasculature. Our data also indicate that Dll4-mediated Notch signalling is crucial during active vascularization, but less important for normal vessel maintenance. Furthermore, unlike blocking Notch signalling globally, neutralizing Dll4 had no discernable impact on intestinal goblet cell differentiation, supporting the idea that Dll4-mediated Notch signalling is largely restricted to the vascular compartment. Therefore, targeting Dll4 might represent a broadly efficacious and well-tolerated approach for the treatment of solid tumours.     

A peptide fusion protein inhibits angiogenesis and tumor growth by blocking VEGF binding to KDR

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) binding to its tyrosine kinase receptors (KDR/FLK1, Flt-1) induces angiogenesis. In search of the peptides blocking VEGF binding to its receptor KDR/FLK1 to inhibit tumorangiogenesis and growth, we screened a phage display peptide library with KDR as target protein, and some candidate peptides were isolated. In this study, we cloned the DNA fragment coding the peptide K237 from the library, into a vector pQE42 to express fusion protein DHFR-K237 in E. coli M15. The affection of fusion protein DHFR-K237 on endothelial cell proliferation and angiogenesis was investigated. In vitro, DHFR-K237 could completely block VEGF binding to KDR and significantly inhibit the VEGF-mediated proliferation of the human vascular endothelial cells. In vivo, DHFR-K237 inhibited angiogenesis in chick embryo chorioallantoric membrane and tumor growth in nude mice. These results suggest that K237 is an effective antagonist of VEGF binding to KDR, and could be a potential agent for cancer biotherapy.     

Functions of VEGF in female reproductive system

As a homodimeric glycoprotein,vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)is a highly specific mitogen of vascular endothelial cells.It can induce proliferation and migration,and inhibit apoptosis of endothelial cell.VEGF is involved in many processes in the female reproductive system,such as ovulation,periodical changes of endometrium,embryo implantation and development,VEGF plays important roles in some reproductive diseases,including preeclampsia and fetal hypoevolutism in uterus.Based on our studies on angiogenesis and its relevant factors in the female reproductive system these years,the functions of VEGF in female reproductive system are reviewed,and the research prospect and application of VEGF are also discussed.     

复方芪鹰颗粒对DPN患者血管内皮生长因子的影响及临床疗效观察

将63例患者随机分为2组,在常规治疗基础上,治疗组(33例)加服复方芪鹰颗粒治疗,对照组加服糖脉康颗粒治疗,疗程4周.观察患者治疗前后临床症状、空腹血糖、餐后2 h血糖、神经传导速度、血管内皮生长因子水平,以研究复方芪鹰颗粒治疗糖尿病周围神经病变的临床疗效.结果显示,治疗组和对照组患者临床症状及餐后2 h血糖均有改善,治疗组临床疗效优于对照组(P<0.05).治疗组用药后血管内皮生长因子升高,有统计学意义(P<0.05);对照组治疗前后无统计学意义.由此可得:复方芪鹰颗粒可显著改善糖尿病周围神经病变患者临床症状,加快感觉及运动神经传导速度,改善糖代谢异常及升高血管内皮生长因子水平,治疗糖尿病周围神经病变疗效显著.     

Human cardiovascular progenitor cells develop from a KDR+ embryonic-stem-cell-derived population

The functional heart is comprised of distinct mesoderm-derived lineages including cardiomyocytes, endothelial cells and vascular smooth muscle cells. Studies in the mouse embryo and the mouse embryonic stem cell differentiation model have provided evidence indicating that these three lineages develop from a common Flk-1(+) (kinase insert domain protein receptor, also known as Kdr) cardiovascular progenitor that represents one of the earliest stages in mesoderm specification to the cardiovascular lineages. To determine whether a comparable progenitor is present during human cardiogenesis, we analysed the development of the cardiovascular lineages in human embryonic stem cell differentiation cultures. Here we show that after induction with combinations of activin A, bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF, also known as FGF2), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF, also known as VEGFA) and dickkopf homolog 1 (DKK1) in serum-free media, human embryonic-stem-cell-derived embryoid bodies generate a KDR(low)/C-KIT(CD117)(neg) population that displays cardiac, endothelial and vascular smooth muscle potential in vitro and, after transplantation, in vivo. When plated in monolayer cultures, these KDR(low)/C-KIT(neg) cells differentiate to generate populations consisting of greater than 50% contracting cardiomyocytes. Populations derived from the KDR(low)/C-KIT(neg) fraction give rise to colonies that contain all three lineages when plated in methylcellulose cultures. Results from limiting dilution studies and cell-mixing experiments support the interpretation that these colonies are clones, indicating that they develop from a cardiovascular colony-forming cell. Together, these findings identify a human cardiovascular progenitor that defines one of the earliest stages of human cardiac development.     

Flk1-positive cells derived from embryonic stem cells serve as vascular progenitors

Interaction between endothelial cells and mural cells (pericytes and vascular smooth muscle) is essential for vascular development and maintenance. Endothelial cells arise from Flk1-expressing (Flk1+) mesoderm cells, whereas mural cells are believed to derive from mesoderm, neural crest or epicardial cells and migrate to form the vessel wall. Difficulty in preparing pure populations of these lineages has hampered dissection of the mechanisms underlying vascular formation. Here we show that Flk1+ cells derived from embryonic stem cells can differentiate into both endothelial and mural cells and can reproduce the vascular organization process. Vascular endothelial growth factor promotes endothelial cell differentiation, whereas mural cells are induced by platelet-derived growth factor-BB. Vascular cells derived from Flk1+ cells can organize into vessel-like structures consisting of endothelial tubes supported by mural cells in three-dimensional culture. Injection of Flk1+ cells into chick embryos showed that they can incorporate as endothelial and mural cells and contribute to the developing vasculature in vivo. Our findings indicate that Flk1+ cells can act as 'vascular progenitor cells' to form mature vessels and thus offer potential for tissue engineering of the vascular system.