The acute phase response stimulates the expression of angiopoietin like protein 4

The acute phase response is characterized by elevations in serum triglyceride levels due to both an increase in hepatic VLDL production and a delay in the clearance of triglyceride rich lipoproteins secondary to a decrease in lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity. Recently there has been a marked increase in our understanding of factors that regulate LPL activity. GPIHBP1 facilitates the interaction of LPL and lipoproteins thereby allowing lipolysis to occur. Angiopoietin like proteins (ANGPTL) 3 and 4 inhibit LPL activity. In the present study, treatment of mice with LPS, an activator of TLR4 and a model of Gram-negative infections, did not alter the expression of GPIHBP1 in heart or adipose tissue. However, LPS decreased the expression of ANGPTL3 in liver and increased the expression of ANGPTL4 in heart, muscle, and adipose tissue. Serum ANGPTL4 protein levels were markedly increased at 8 and 16 h following LPS treatment. Administration of zymosan, an activator of TLR2 and a model of fungal infections, also increased serum ANGPTL4 protein and mRNA levels in liver, heart, muscle, and adipose tissue. Finally, treatment of 3T3-L1 adipocytes with LPS or cytokines (TNF alpha, IL-1 beta, and interferon gamma) stimulated ANGPTL4 expression. These studies demonstrate that ANGPTL4 is a positive acute phase protein and the increase in ANGPTL4 could contribute to the hypertriglyceridemia that characteristically occurs during the acute phase response by inhibiting LPL activity.     

Expression and purification of recombinant human angiopoietin-2 produced in Chinese hamster ovary cells

Angiopoietin-2 (Ang2) is a complex regulator of vascular remodeling that plays a role in both blood vessel sprouting and blood vessel regression through its receptor Tie2. Recombinant Chinese hamster ovary (rCHO) cell lines expressing a high level (20 microg/mL) of recombinant human Ang2 protein (rhAng2) with an amino-terminal FLAG-tag was constructed by transfecting the expression vectors into dihydrofolate reductase (dhfr)-deficient CHO cells and the subsequent gene amplification in medium containing stepwise increments in methotrexate level such as 0.02, 0.08, and 0.32 microM. The rhAng2 secreted from rCHO cells was purified at a purification yield of 53.6% from the cultured medium using an anti-FLAG M2 agarose affinity gel. SDS-PAGE and Western blot analyses showed that rCHO cells secret rhAng2 as a homodimeric glycoprotein form. Furthermore, rhAng2 binds to the Tie2 receptor and phosphorylates Tie2 in a concentration-dependent manner. Therefore, our rhAng2 could be useful for clarifying biological effect of exogenous Ang2 in the future.     

The role of erythropoietin in regulating angiogenesis

Erythropoietin (EPO) is an essential growth factor that regulates erythrocyte production in mammals. In this study, we demonstrate a novel role of EPO in regulating angiogenesis in vivo. Epo and Epo receptor (EpoR) are expressed in the vasculature during embryogenesis. Deletion of Epo or EpoR leads to angiogenic defects starting at E10.5, 2 days before ventricular hypoplasia and 3 days before the onset of the embryonic lethal phenotype. Overall, angiogenesis was severely affected in the mutant embryos: vascular anomalies included decreased complexity of the vessel networks. However, de novo vasculogenesis remained intact, consistent with the differential expression of Epo and EpoR during the early stages of embryonic development. The aforementioned angiogenesis defect can be partially rescued by expressing human EPO during embryogenesis. Moreover, Ang-1 expression is regulated by EPO/EPOR under normoxic conditions. Taken together, our results suggest important roles of EPO and EPOR in angiogenesis.     

幽门螺杆菌L型感染及血管生成素的表达与胃癌血管生成的关系

目的探讨幽门螺杆菌L型(Hp-L)感染和血管生成素(Ang)在胃癌中的表达及与肿瘤血管生成的关系。方法采用革兰染色和免疫组化方法检测84例胃癌和30例癌旁正常组织中Hp-L型感染,应用免疫组化方法检测Ang-1、Ang-2蛋白表达水平,计数微血管密度(MVD),结合临床病理因素进行分析。结果胃癌组织中Hp-L型感染率、Ang-2阳性表达率、MVD值明显高于正常组织(P0.05),胃癌中Hp-L型感染与肿瘤分化程度、侵袭深度、临床分期、淋巴结转移有关(P0.05),与Ang-2表达、MVD呈正相关。胃癌组织中Ang-2表达与肿瘤大小、侵袭深度、淋巴结转移有关(P0.05),与MVD呈正相关。Ang-1在胃癌中表达略低于对照组,但无统计学差异(P0.05),Ang-1表达与侵袭深度和MVD呈负相关。结果 胃癌Hp-L型感染在肿瘤血管生成中起重要作用,其机制与Ang-2表达上调,Ang-2/Ang-1比例失衡有关。     

Localization of the angiopoietin receptors Tie-1 and Tie-2 on the primary cilia in the female reproductive organs

Blood vessel homeostasis and endothelial cell survival depend on proper signalling through angiopoietin receptors such as the receptor tyrosine kinases Tie-1 and Tie-2. We have studied the presence and subcellular localization of these receptors in murine female reproductive organs using confocal microscopy analysis of antibody stained tissue sections of ovary and oviduct. We show that Tie-2 principally localizes to primary cilia of the surface epithelium of the ovary, bursa and extra-ovarian rete ducts as well as to plasma membranes of ovarian theca and endothelial cells. Primary cilia of follicular granulosa cells were negative. Further, Tie-1 and Tie-2 localized to motile cilia of the oviduct. Western blotting detection and immunolocalization of anti-Tie-2 in ovary and oviduct were abolished by administration of an anti-Tie-2 blocking peptide, confirming antibody specificity. In a series of immunohistochemical analysis on human ovarian tissues we also observed a unique localization of Tie-2 to the primary cilia of ovarian surface epithelium. These observations are the first to show ciliary localization of angiopoietin receptors. Our results support the hypothesis that cilia of the female reproductive organs play a novel and important sensory role in relaying physiochemical changes from the extracellular environment to epithelial cells of the oviduct, the ovary and extra-ovarian tissues.     

血清血管细胞黏附分子-1、纤溶酶原激活物抑制物-1、血管生成素样蛋白8与妊娠期糖尿病患者妊娠结局的关系研究

摘要 目的：探讨血清血管细胞黏附分子-1（VCAM-1）、纤溶酶原激活物抑制物-1（PAI-1）、血管生成素样蛋白8（ANGPTL8）与妊娠期糖尿病（GDM）患者妊娠结局的关系。方法：选择2019年4月~2021年3月期间陕西中医药大学第二附属医院收治的GDM孕妇136例作为研究组。选择同时期来陕西中医药大学第二附属医院产检的健康孕妇120例作为对照组。收集研究组患者的人口学及临床资料,采用酶联免疫吸附法检测两组孕妇的血清VCAM-1、PAI-1、ANGPTL8水平,观察两组孕妇的妊娠结局情况。研究组孕妇根据妊娠结局情况分为妊娠结局不良组和妊娠结局良好组,采用单因素及多因素Logistic回归分析GDM孕妇妊娠结局不良的影响因素。结果：研究组的血清VCAM-1、PAI-1、ANGPTL8水平高于对照组（P<0.05）。研究组的妊娠结局不良总发生率高于对照组（P<0.05）。单因素分析结果显示,GDM孕妇妊娠结局不良与年龄、产前体质量指数（BMI）、糖化血红蛋白（HbAlc）、空腹血糖（FBG）、空腹胰岛素（FINS）、总胆固醇（TC）、胰岛素抵抗指数（HOMA-IR）、糖尿病家族史、分娩史、居住地、VCAM-1、PAI-1、ANGPTL8水平有关（P<0.05）。多因素Logistic回归分析显示,年龄≥35岁、产前BMI≥28 kg/m²、HbAlc水平较高、居住地为城镇、VCAM-1、PAI-1、ANGPTL8水平升高均是GDM孕妇妊娠结局不良的影响因素（P<0.05）。结论：GDM孕妇血清VCAM-1、PAI-1、ANGPTL8水平异常升高,且三者均为GDM孕妇妊娠结局的影响因素,值得临床关注。     

Tie receptors and their angiopoietin ligands are context-dependent regulators of vascular remodeling

Angiopoietins are ligands of the Tie2 receptor that control angiogenic remodeling in a context-dependent manner. Tie signaling is involved in multiple steps of the angiogenic remodeling process during development, including destabilization of existing vessels, endothelial cell migration, tube formation and the subsequent stabilization of newly formed tubes by mesenchymal cells. Beyond this critical role in blood vessel development, recent studies suggest a wider role for Tie2 and angiopoietins in lymphangiogenesis and the development of the hematopoietic system, as well as a possible role in the regulation of certain non-endothelial cells. The outcome of Tie signaling depends on which vascular bed is involved, and crosstalk between different VEGFs has an important modulating effect on the properties of the angiopoietins. Signaling through the Tie1 receptor is not well understood, but Tie1 may have both angiopoietin-dependent and ligand-independent functions. Changes in the expression of Tie receptors and angiopoietins occur in many pathological conditions, and mutations in the Tie2 gene are found in familial cases of vascular disease.     

Angiopoietin-2 Stimulation of Endothelial Cells Induces αvβ3 Integrin Internalization and Degradation

The angiopoietins (Ang-1 and Ang-2) have been identified as agonistic and antagonistic ligands of the endothelial receptor tyrosine kinase Tie2, respectively. Both ligands have been demonstrated to induce translocation of Tie2 to cell-cell junctions. However, only Ang-1 induces Tie2-dependent Akt activation and subsequent survival signaling and endothelial quiescence. Ang-2 interferes negatively with Ang-1/Tie2 signaling, thereby antagonizing the Ang-1/Tie2 axis. Here, we show that both Ang-1 and Ang-2 recruit β3 integrins to Tie2. This co-localization is most prominent in cell-cell junctions. However, only Ang-2 stimulation resulted in complex formation among Tie2, αvβ3 integrin, and focal adhesion kinase as evidenced by co-immunoprecipitation experiments. Focal adhesion kinase was phosphorylated in the FAT domain at Ser⁹¹⁰ upon Ang-2 stimulation and the adaptor proteins p130Cas and talin dissociated from αvβ3 integrin. The αvβ3 integrin was internalized, ubiquitinylated, and gated toward lysosomes. Taken together, the experiments define Tie2/αvβ3 integrin association-induced integrin internalization and degradation as mechanistic consequences of endothelial Ang-2 stimulation.