A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

Intra- and extracellular signaling by endothelial neuregulin-1




AuthorsIivanainen E, Paatero I, Heikkinen SM, Junttila TT, Cao R, Klint P, Jaakkola PM, Cao Y, Elenius K

PublisherELSEVIER INC

Publication year2007

JournalExperimental Cell Research

Journal name in sourceEXPERIMENTAL CELL RESEARCH

Journal acronymEXP CELL RES

Volume313

Issue13

First page 2896

Last page2909

Number of pages14

ISSN0014-4827

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.yexcr.2007.03.042


Abstract
Suppression of tumor growth by inhibition of ErbB receptor signaling is well documented. However, relatively little is known about the ErbB signaling system in the regulation of angiogenesis, a process necessary for tumor growth. We have previously shown that heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF) is expressed by vascular endothelial cells (EC) and promotes endothelial recruitment of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMC). To assess whether other members of the EGF-family regulate angiogenesis, the expression of 10 EGF-like growth factors in primary ECs and SMCs was analyzed. In addition to HB-EGF, neuregulin-1 (NRG-1) was expressed in ECs in vitro and in vivo. Endothelial NRG-1 was constitutively processed to soluble extracellular and intracellular signaling fragments, and its expression was induced by hypoxia. NRG-1 was angiogenic in vivo in mouse corneal pocket and chicken chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assays. However, consistent with the lack of NRG-1 receptors in several primary EC lines, NRG-1 did not directly stimulate cellular responses in cultured ECs. In contrast, NRG-1 promoted EC responses in vitro and angiogenesis in CAM in vivo by mechanisms dependent on VEGF-A and VEGFR-2. These results indicate that NRG-1 is expressed by ECs and regulates angiogenesis by mechanisms involving paracrine up-regulation of VEGF-A. (c) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.



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