31 research outputs found

    ADAM9 Is Involved in Pathological Retinal Neovascularization▿

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    Pathological ocular neovascularization, caused by diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, or retinopathy of prematurity, is a leading cause of blindness, yet much remains to be learned about its underlying causes. Here we used oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) and laser-induced choroidal neovascularization (CNV) to assess the contribution of the metalloprotease-disintegrin ADAM9 to ocular neovascularization in mice. Pathological neovascularization in both the OIR and CNV models was significantly reduced in Adam9−/− mice compared to wild-type controls. In addition, the level of ADAM9 expression was strongly increased in endothelial cells in pathological vascular tufts in the OIR model. Moreover, tumor growth from heterotopically injected B16F0 melanoma cells was reduced in Adam9−/− mice compared to controls. In cell-based assays, the overexpression of ADAM9 enhanced the ectodomain shedding of EphB4, Tie-2, Flk-1, CD40, VCAM, and VE-cadherin, so the enhanced expression of ADAM9 could potentially affect pathological neovascularization by increasing the shedding of these and other membrane proteins from endothelial cells. Finally, we provide the first evidence for the upregulation of ADAM9-dependent shedding by reactive oxygen species, which in turn are known to play a critical role in OIR. Collectively, these results suggest that ADAM9 could be an attractive target for the prevention of proliferative retinopathies, CNV, and cancer

    ADAM8 is a negative regulator of retinal neovascularization and of the growth of heterotopically injected tumor cells in mice

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    ADAM8 is a member of the "a disintegrin and metalloproteinase" (ADAM) family of membrane-anchored metalloproteinases. ADAM8-deficient mice have no evident spontaneous developmental or pathological defects, and little is currently known about the role of ADAM8 in disease. Here, we investigated the contribution of ADAM8 to pathological neovascularization in mice using an oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) model and heterotopical injection of tumor cells. We found an increase in retinal re-vascularization but fewer neovascular tufts in the OIR model and increased growth of heterotopically injected tumor cells in Adam8-/- mice compared with wild-type controls. These results suggest that ADAM8 functions to limit both of these processes in wild-type mice. In cell-based assays, overexpression of ADAM8 increased the ectodomain shedding of several co-expressed membrane proteins with roles in angiogenesis (CD31, Tie-2, Flk-1, Flt-1, EphrinB2, EphB4, VE-cadherin, KL-1, E-selectin, and neuregulin-1 beta 2). Thus, dysregulated expression of ADAM8 in endothelial cells in vivo could potentially increase the processing of these and other substrate proteins. Taken together, our findings suggest that inhibiting ADAM8 could be useful for promoting re-vascularization and thereby preventing formation of neovascular tufts in proliferative retinopathies. On the other hand, blocking ADAM8 could be detrimental in the context of rapidly growing tumors

    Migration of growth factor-stimulated epithelial and endothelial cells depends on EGFR transactivation by ADAM17

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    The fibroblast growth factor receptor 2-IIIb (FGFR2b) and the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) are tyrosine kinases that can promote cell migration and proliferation and have important roles in embryonic development and cancer. Here we show that FGF7/FGFR2b-dependent activation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)/ERK1/2 signalling and cell migration in epithelial cells require stimulation of the membrane-anchored metalloproteinase ADAM17 and release of heparin-binding epidermal growth factor (HB-EGF). Moreover, VEGF-A/VEGFR2-induced migration of human umbilical vein endothelial cells also depends on EGFR/ERK1/2 signalling and shedding of the ADAM17 substrate HB-EGF. The pathway used by the FGF7/FGFR2b signalling axis to stimulate shedding of substrates of ADAM17, including ligands of the EGFR, involves Src, p38 mitogen-activated protein-kinase and PI3K, but does not require the cytoplasmic domain of ADAM17. Based on these findings, ADAM17 emerges as a central component in a triple membrane-spanning pathway between FGFR2b or VEGFR2 and EGFR/ERK1/2 that is required for cell migration in keratinocytes and presumably also in endothelial cells

    VEGF-A stimulates ADAM17-dependent shedding of VEGFR2 and crosstalk between VEGFR2 and ERK signaling

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    Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A and the VEGF receptors are critical for regulating angiogenesis during development and homeostasis and in pathological conditions, such as cancer and proliferative retinopathies. Most effects of VEGF-A are mediated by the VEGFR2 and its coreceptor, neuropilin (NRP)-1. Here, we show that VEGFR2 is shed from cells by the metalloprotease disintegrin ADAM17, whereas NRP-1 is released by ADAM10. VEGF-A enhances VEGFR2 shedding by ADAM17 but not shedding of NRP-1 by ADAM10. VEGF-A activates ADAM17 via the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways, thereby also triggering shedding of other ADAM17 substrates, including tumor necrosis factor alpha, transforming growth factor alpha, heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor, and Tie-2. Interestingly, an ADAM17-selective inhibitor shortens the duration of VEGF-A-stimulated ERK phosphorylation in human umbilical vein endothelial cells, providing evidence for an ADAM17-dependent crosstalk between the VEGFR2 and ERK signaling. Targeting the sheddases of VEGFR2 or NRP-1 might offer new opportunities to modulate VEGF-A signaling, an already-established target for treatment of pathological neovascularization

    Therapeutic activation of endothelial sphingosine‐1‐phosphate receptor 1 by chaperone‐bound S1P suppresses proliferative retinal neovascularization

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    Abstract Sphingosine‐1‐phosphate (S1P), the circulating HDL‐bound lipid mediator that acts via S1P receptors (S1PR), is required for normal vascular development. The role of this signaling axis in vascular retinopathies is unclear. Here, we show in a mouse model of oxygen‐induced retinopathy (OIR) that endothelial overexpression of S1pr1 suppresses while endothelial knockout of S1pr1 worsens neovascular tuft formation. Furthermore, neovascular tufts are increased in Apom−/− mice which lack HDL‐bound S1P while they are suppressed in ApomTG mice which have more circulating HDL‐S1P. These results suggest that circulating HDL‐S1P activation of endothelial S1PR1 suppresses neovascular pathology in OIR. Additionally, systemic administration of ApoM‐Fc‐bound S1P or a small‐molecule Gi‐biased S1PR1 agonist suppressed neovascular tuft formation. Circulating HDL‐S1P activation of endothelial S1PR1 may be a key protective mechanism to guard against neovascular retinopathies that occur not only in premature infants but also in diabetic patients and aging people
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