Targeting of endothelial KDR receptors with 3G2 immunoliposomes in vitro

Immunoliposomes (IL) containing anti-angiogenic drugs directed selectively to the easily accessible kinase insert domain containing receptor (KDR) vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which is predominantly expressed on tumour vessels are a promising tool to inhibit tumour angiogenesis. To explore this strategy, we have prepared fluorescent-labelled IL presenting antibodies against the KDR receptor (3G2) on their surface. 3G2-IL were composed of egg phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol (6:4), containing 2 mol% of the new thiol reactive linker lipid O-(3-cholesteryloxycarbonyl)propionyl-O'-m-maleimido-benzoyl tetraethylene glycol. Specific binding of 3G2-IL to immobilised recombinant KDR was used to show the maintenance of sufficient immunoreactivity of 3G2 antibodies upon the coupling procedure. 3G2-IL bound to Chinese hamster ovarian (CHO) cells stably transfected to overexpress KDR to a five times higher amount as compared to mock-transfected CHO cells. Subsequently, specific binding of 3G2-IL to KDR could also be demonstrated on KDR expressing cells, human umbilical vein endothelial cells and human microvascular endothelial cells, whereas only low binding of 3G2-IL to NIH-3T3 mouse fibroblast cells, which do not express KDR, was found. The binding of 3G2-IL to KDR receptors could not be blocked by VEGF, suggesting that the binding site for VEGF is not identical with the epitope recognised by 3G2. We could demonstrate that 3G2-IL is able to bind in vitro even in the presence of high levels of VEGF.     

Isoindolinone ureas: a novel class of KDR kinase inhibitors

A series of substituted isoindolinone ureas was prepared and evaluated for enzymatic and cellular inhibition of KDR kinase activity. Several of these analogs, such as 14c, are potent inhibitors of KDR both enzymatically (< 50 nM) and cellularly < or = 100 nM). A 3D KDR/CDK2/MAP kinase overlay model with several structurally related tyrosine kinase inhibitors was used to predict the binding interactions of the isoindolinone ureas with the KDR active site.     

KDP胞外502～764位氨基酸基因合成、表达及功能鉴定

应用基因搭桥法及 Taq酶聚合反应合成了编码人血管内皮生长因子受体 - ( h VEGFR- ,KDR)第 50 2～ 764位 2 62个氨基酸的基因片段 .DNA序列分析表明 ,合成的 786bp的基因片段与文献报道的 KDR相应 c DNA序列完全一致 .将该基因与原核融合蛋白表达载体 p GEX- 3X重组 ,在大肠杆菌 JM1 0 9中表达了 GST- KDR2 62融合蛋白 ,表达量约占菌体总蛋白的 35% .表达产物依次经包涵体分离、变性、复性、亲合层析纯化和 Xa因子酶解 ,获得了 KDR2 62目的蛋白纯品 .GST-KDR2 62融合蛋白和纯化产物经 Western blot分析 ,两者均可被 VEGF1 65特异性识别 ,前者分子量约 56k D,后者分子量约 30 k D;这两种蛋白用 VEGF1 65及其抗体进行的 ELISA分析结果均显示阳性 ,并有剂量依赖关系 ,而用 Xa因子酶解 GST- KDR2 62融合蛋白获得的 GST和空载体诱导产物对照均为阴性 .以上结果表明表达的 KDR2 62蛋白可特异性地与 VEGF结合 .     

Analysis of biological effects and signaling properties of Flt-1 (VEGFR-1) and KDR (VEGFR-2). A reassessment using novel receptor-specific vascular endothelial growth factor mutants

Endothelial cells express two related vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor tyrosine kinases, KDR (kinase-insert domain containing receptor, or VEGFR-2) and Flt-1 (fms-like tyrosine kinase, or VEGFR-1). Although considerable experimental evidence links KDR activation to endothelial cell mitogenesis, there is still significant uncertainty concerning the role of individual VEGF receptors for other biological effects such as vascular permeability. VEGF mutants that bind to either KDR or Flt-1 with high selectivity were used to determine which of the two receptors serves to mediate different VEGF functions. In addition to mediating mitogenic signaling, selective KDR activation was sufficient for the activation of intracellular signaling pathways implicated in cell migration. KDR stimulation caused tyrosine phosphorylation of both phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and phospholipase Cgamma in primary endothelial cells and stimulated cell migration. KDR-selective VEGF was also able to induce angiogenesis in the rat cornea to an extent indistinguishable from wild type VEGF. We also demonstrate that KDR, but not Flt-1, stimulation is responsible for the induction of vascular permeability by VEGF.     

VEGF受体KDR胞外区基因的克隆及其在昆虫细胞中的表达

VEGF(血管内皮细胞生长因子,Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor)是刺激内皮细胞增殖和新生血管形成的最重要因子,与多种实体瘤的生长和转移密切相关。应用其可溶性受体阻断它的病理作用是一个非常有前景的课题。将VEGF受体KDR胞外区前三个Loop 969碱基对的cDNA片段克隆到杆状病毒表达载体pFastBacI,与杆状病毒表达载体Bacmid同源重组后,转染昆虫细胞SF9,获得重组杆状病毒并证明了目的基因的高效表达。经Western blot证实表达产物的特异性。经ELISA和体外生物学活性检测表明表达产物可阻断VEGF的生物学活性,抑制鸡胚CAM血管的生长。     

Transactivation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor Flk-1/KDR is involved in sphingosine 1-phosphate-stimulated phosphorylation of Akt and endothelial nitric-oxide synthase (eNOS)

Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) elicit numerous biological responses including cell survival, growth, migration, and differentiation in endothelial cells mediated by the endothelial differentiation gene, a family of G-protein-coupled receptors, and fetal liver kinase-1/kinase-insert domain-containing receptor (Flk-1/KDR), one of VEGF receptors, respectively. Recently, it was reported that S1P or VEGF treatment of endothelial cells leads to phosphorylation at Ser-1179 in bovine endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), and this phosphorylation is critical for eNOS activation. S1P stimulation of eNOS phosphorylation was shown to involve G(i) protein, phosphoinositide 3-kinase, and Akt. VEGF also activates eNOS through Flk-1/KDR, phosphoinositide 3-kinase, and Akt, which suggested that S1P and VEGF may share upstream signaling mediators. We now report that S1P treatment of bovine aortic endothelial cells acutely increases the tyrosine phosphorylation of Flk-1/KDR, similar to VEGF treatment. S1P-mediated phosphorylation of Flk-1/KDR, Akt, and eNOS were all inhibited by VEGF receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors and by antisense Flk-1/KDR oligonucleotides. Our study suggests that S1P activation of eNOS involves G(i), calcium, and Src family kinase-dependent transactivation of Flk-1/KDR. These data are the first to establish a critical role of Flk-1/KDR in S1P-stimulated eNOS phosphorylation and activation.     

血管内皮细胞生长因子受体(KDR)的分子克隆与原核表达

血管内皮细胞生长因子（ＶＥＧＦ）是特异的血管内皮细胞促分裂素,它主要通过相应受体（ＫＤＲ）刺激血管内皮细胞增殖．ＶＥＧＦ及其受体在肿瘤血管形成中起重要作用．通过逆转录及多聚酶链式反应（ＲＴ－ＰＣＲ）成功地从人脐静脉内皮细胞扩增出编码ＫＤＲ胞外ＶＥＧＦ结合区的ＤＮＡ片段,将该片段克隆在谷胱甘肽转移酶（ＧＳＴ）融合蛋白表达载体ｐＧＥＸ２Ｔ中,获得在大肠杆菌Ｊｍ１０９的稳定表达．表达的不溶性融合蛋白可经碱变性法大量提取,为后续的研究工作奠定了基础．     

Pharmacophore modeling and in silico screening for new KDR kinase inhibitors

In order to elucidate the essential structural features for KDR kinase inhibitors, three-dimensional pharmacophore hypotheses were built on the basis of a set of known KDR kinase inhibitors selected from the literature with CATALYST program. Several methods tools used in validation of pharmacophore hypothsis were presented, and the first hypothesis (Hypo1) was considered to be the best pharmacophore hypothesis. The model (Hypo1) was then employed as 3D search query to screen the Traditional Chinese Medicine Database (TCMD) for other potential lead compounds. One hit illustrated high binding affinity with KDR kinase measured by the surface plasmon resonance biosensor. Docking studies may help elucidate the mechanisms of KDR kinase receptor-ligand interactions.     

EGFR和KDR在胃癌组织中的表达及临床意义

探讨表皮生长因子受体（epidermal growth factor receptor,EGFR）和含激酶插入区受体（kinase-insert domain-containing receptor,KDR）的表达与胃癌临床病理特征的关系及其临床意义.应用免疫组织化学PV法,检测60例胃癌组织中EGFR和KDR的表达情况,并且分析其与临床病理特征的关系.胃癌组织中EGFR和KDR阳性表达率分别为48.3%（29/60）、63.3%（38/60）,二者的阳性表达与浸润深度、淋巴结转移、TNM分期相关（P〈0.05）,并且存在共表达现象,表达强度呈正相关（rs=0.664,P〈0.05）.EGFR和KDR在胃癌的进展中起协同作用,为靶向EGFR和KDR生物治疗制剂在胃癌生物治疗中的应用及联合应用提供了一定的理论依据.     

Decreased expression of circ_0020397 in intracranial aneurysms may be contributing to decreased vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation via increased expression of miR-138 and subsequent decreased KDR expression

Dysfunction of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) mediates intracranial aneurysm (IA). KDR is reported to alleviate IA progression via promoting VSMC proliferation, while the upstream regulators are still unclear. Arterial wall tissues at the aneurysm site from 12 patients were obtained. The real-time PCR result indicated that circRNA_0020397 was down-regulated, but miR-138 was up-regulated in artery wall tissues and cells of IA. Overexpressed circRNA_0020397 promoted proliferation of human umbilical artery SMCs. MiR-138 negatively regulated KDR via binding with 3’UTR of KDR mRNA. The expression of circRNA_0020397 was negatively correlated with miR-138. In conclusion, our findings demonstrated that decreased expression of circRNA_0020397 in IA may contribute to the decreased VSMC proliferation via increasing miR-138 expression and subsequently decreasing KDR expression.     

Identification of the KDR tyrosine kinase as a receptor for vascular endothelial cell growth factor.

Vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF), also known as vascular permeability factor, is an endothelial cell mitogen which stimulates angiogenesis. Here we report that a previously identified receptor tyrosine kinase gene, KDR, encodes a receptor for VEGF. Expression of KDR in CMT-3 (cells which do not contain receptors for VEGF) allows for saturable 125I-VEGF binding with high affinity (KD = 75 pM). Affinity cross-linking of 125I-VEGF to KDR-transfected CMT-3 cells results in specific labeling of two proteins of M(r) = 195 and 235 kDa. The KDR receptor tyrosine kinase shares structural similarities with a recently reported receptor for VEGF, flt, in a manner reminiscent of the similarities between the alpha and beta forms of the PDGF receptors.     

Scaffold oriented synthesis. Part 2: Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of pyrimido-diazepines as receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors

We report the discovery of the pyrimido-diazepine scaffolds as novel adenine mimics. Structure-based design led to the discovery of analogs with potent inhibitory activity against receptor tyrosine kinases, such as KDR, Flt3 and c-Kit. Compound 14 exhibited low nanomolar KDR enzymatic and cellular potencies (IC(50)=9 and 52 nM, respectively).     

Relative effects of VEGF-A and VEGF-C on endothelial cell proliferation, migration and PAF synthesis: Role of neuropilin-1

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF-A) is an inducer of endothelial cell (EC) proliferation, migration, and synthesis of inflammatory agents such as platelet-activating factor (PAF). Recently, neuropilin-1 (NRP-1) has been described as a coreceptor of KDR which potentiates VEGF-A activity. However, the role of NRP-1 in numerous VEGF-A activities remains unclear. To assess the contribution of NRP-1 to VEGF-A mediated EC proliferation, migration, and PAF synthesis, we used porcine aortic EC (PAEC) recombinantly expressing Flt-1, NRP-1, KDR or KDR and NRP-1. Cells were stimulated with VEGF-A, which binds to Flt-1, KDR and NRP-1, and VEGF-C, which binds to KDR only. VEGF-A was 12.4-fold more potent than VEGF-C in inducing KDR phosphorylation in PAEC-KDR. VEGF-A and VEGF-C showed similar potency to mediate PAEC-KDR proliferation, migration, and PAF synthesis. On PAEC-KDR/NRP-1, VEGF-A was 28.6-fold more potent than VEGF-C in inducing KDR phosphorylation and PAEC-KDR/NRP-1 proliferation (1.3-fold), migration (1.7-fold), and PAF synthesis (4.6-fold). These results suggest that cooperative binding of VEGF-A to KDR and NRP-1 enhances KDR phosphorylation and its biological activities. Similar results were obtained with bovine aortic EC that endogenously express both KDR and NRP-1 receptors. In contrast, stimulation of PAEC-Flt-1 and PAEC-NRP-1 with VEGF-A or VEGF-C did not induce proliferation, migration, or PAF synthesis. In conclusion, the presence of NRP-1 on EC preferentially increases KDR activation by VEGF-A as well as KDR-mediated biological activities, and may elicit novel intracellular events. On the other hand, VEGF-A and VEGF-C have equipotent biological activities on EC in absence of NRP-1.     

Vascular permeability factor (VPF)/vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) peceptor-1 down-modulates VPF/VEGF receptor-2-mediated endothelial cell proliferation, but not migration, through phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-dependent pathways

Vascular permeability factor (VPF)/vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) achieves its multiple functions by activating two receptor tyrosine kinases, Flt-1 (VEGF receptor-1) and KDR (VEGF receptor-2), both of which are selectively expressed on primary vascular endothelium. To dissect the respective signaling pathways and biological functions mediated by these receptors in primary endothelial cells with these two receptors intact, we developed a chimeric receptor system in which the N terminus of the epidermal growth factor receptor was fused to the transmembrane domain and intracellular domain of KDR (EGDR) and Flt-1 (EGLT). We observed that KDR, but not Flt-1, was responsible for VPF/VEGF-induced human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) proliferation and migration. Moreover, Flt-1 showed an inhibitory effect on KDR-mediated proliferation, but not migration. We also demonstrated that the inhibitory function of Flt-1 was mediated through the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI-3K)-dependent pathway because inhibitors of PI-3K as well as a dominant negative mutant of p85 (PI-3K subunit) reversed the inhibition, whereas a constitutively activated mutant of p110 introduced the inhibition to HUVEC-EGDR. We also observed that, in VPF/VEGF-stimulated HUVECs, the Flt-1/EGLT-mediated down-modulation of KDR/EGDR signaling was at or before intracellular Ca(2+) mobilization, but after KDR/EGDR phosphorylation. By mutational analysis, we further identified that the tyrosine 794 residue of Flt-1 was essential for its antiproliferative effect. Taken together, these studies contribute significantly to our understanding of the signaling pathways and biological functions triggered by KDR and Flt-1 and describe a unique mechanism in which PI-3K acts as a mediator of antiproliferation in primary vascular endothelium.     

Utilization of distinct signaling pathways by receptors for vascular endothelial cell growth factor and other mitogens in the induction of endothelial cell proliferation

This study was initiated to identify signaling proteins used by the receptors for vascular endothelial cell growth factor KDR/Flk1, and Flt1. Two-hybrid cloning and immunoprecipitation from human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) showed that KDR binds to and promotes the tyrosine phosphorylation of phospholipase Cgamma (PLCgamma). Neither placental growth factor, which activates Flt1, epidermal growth factor (EGF), or fibroblast growth factor (FGF) induced tyrosine phosphorylation of PLCgamma, indicating that KDR is uniquely important to PLCgamma activation in HUVEC. By signaling through KDR, VEGF promoted the tyrosine phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase, induced activation of Akt, protein kinase Cepsilon (PKCepsilon), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and promoted thymidine incorporation into DNA. VEGF activates PLCgamma, PKCepsilon, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase independently of one another. MEK, PLCgamma, and to a lesser extent PKC, are in the pathway through which KDR activates MAPK. PLCgamma or PKC inhibitors did not affect FGF- or EGF-mediated MAPK activation. MAPK/ERK kinase inhibition diminished VEGF-, FGF-, and EGF-promoted thymidine incorporation into DNA. However, blockade of PKC diminished thymidine incorporation into DNA induced by VEGF but not FGF or EGF. Signaling through KDR/Flk1 activates signaling pathways not utilized by other mitogens to induce proliferation of HUVEC.     

VEGF165 mediates formation of complexes containing VEGFR-2 and neuropilin-1 that enhance VEGF165-receptor binding

Co-expression of NRP1 and (VEGFR-2) KDR on the surface of endothelial cells (EC) enhances VEGF165 binding to KDR and EC chemotaxis in response to VEGF165. Overexpression of NRP1 by prostate tumor cells in vivo results in increased tumor angiogenesis and growth. We investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying NRP1-mediated angiogenesis by analyzing the association of NRP1 and KDR. An intracellular complex containing NRP1 and KDR was immunoprecipitated from EC by anti-NRP1 antibodies only in the presence of VEGF165. In contrast, VEGF121, which does not bind to NRP1, did not support complex formation. Complexes containing VEGF165, NRP1, and KDR were also formed in an intercellular fashion by co-culture of EC expressing KDR only, with cells expressing NRP1 only, for example, breast carcinoma cells. VEGF165 also mediated the binding of a soluble NRP1 dimer to cells expressing KDR only, confirming the formation of such complexes. Furthermore, the formation of complexes containing KDR and NRP1 markedly increased 125I-VEGF165 binding to KDR. Our results suggest that formation of a ternary complex of VEGF165, KDR, and NRP1 potentiates VEGF165 binding to KDR. These complexes are formed on the surface of EC and in a juxtacrine manner via association of tumor cell NRP1 and EC KDR.     

Potent 2-[(pyrimidin-4-yl)amine}-1,3-thiazole-5-carbonitrile-based inhibitors of VEGFR-2 (KDR) kinase

Pyrimidino-thiazolyl carbonitriles were prepared that are potent VEGFR-2 (KDR) kinase inhibitors. The modification of lead structures resulted in 3m which exhibited the best overall profile in KDR inhibitory activity, iv/po pharmacokinetics, and reduced hERG affinity.