Differential roles of p80- and p130-angiomotin in the switch between migration and stabilization of endothelial cells

We have previously shown that angiomotin (Amot) plays an important role in growth factor-induced migration of endothelial cells in vitro. Genetic knock-down of Amot in zebrafish also results in inhibition of migration of intersegmental vessels in vivo. Amot is expressed as two different isoforms, p80-Amot and p130-Amot. Here we have analyzed the expression of the two Amot isoforms during retinal angiogenesis in vivo and demonstrate that p80-Amot is expressed during the migratory phase. In contrast, p130-Amot is expressed during the period of blood vessel stabilization and maturation. We also show that the N-terminal domain of p130-Amot serves as a targeting domain responsible for localization of p130-Amot to actin and tight junctions. We further show that the relative expression levels of p80-Amot and p130-Amot regulate a switch between a migratory and a non-migratory cell phenotype where the migratory function of p80-Amot is dominant over the stabilization and maturation function of p130-Amot. Our data indicates that homo-oligomerization of p80-Amot and hetero-oligomerization of both isoforms are critical for this regulation.