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Schneller D, Hofer-Warbinek R, Sturtzel C, Lipnik K, Gencelli B, Seltenhammer M, Wen M, Testori J, Bilban M, Borowski A, Windwarder M, Kapel SS, Besemfelder E, Cejka P, Habertheuer A, Schlechta B, Majdic O, Altmann F, Kocher A, Augustin HG, Luttmann W, Hofer E. Cytokine-Like 1 Is a Novel Proangiogenic Factor Secreted by and Mediating Functions of Endothelial Progenitor Cells. Circ Res 2019; 124:243-255. [PMID: 30582450 DOI: 10.1161/circresaha.118.313645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Endothelial colony forming cells (ECFCs) or late blood outgrowth endothelial cells can be isolated from human cord or peripheral blood, display properties of endothelial progenitors, home into ischemic tissues and support neovascularization in ischemic disease models. OBJECTIVE To assess the functions of CYTL1 (cytokine-like 1), a factor we found preferentially produced by ECFCs, in regard of vessel formation. METHODS AND RESULTS We show by transcriptomic analysis that ECFCs are distinguished from endothelial cells of the vessel wall by production of high amounts of CYTL1. Modulation of expression demonstrates that the factor confers increased angiogenic sprouting capabilities to ECFCs and can also trigger sprouting of mature endothelial cells. The data further display that CYTL1 can be induced by hypoxia and that it functions largely independent of VEGF-A (vascular endothelial growth factor-A). By recombinant production of CYTL1 we confirm that the peptide is indeed a strong proangiogenic factor and induces sprouting in cellular assays and functional vessel formation in animal models comparable to VEGF-A. Mass spectroscopy corroborates that CYTL1 is specifically O-glycosylated on 2 neighboring threonines in the C-terminal part and this modification is important for its proangiogenic bioactivity. Further analyses show that the factor does not upregulate proinflammatory genes and strongly induces several metallothionein genes encoding anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic proteins. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that CYTL1 can mediate proangiogenic functions ascribed to endothelial progenitors such as ECFCs in vivo and may be a candidate to support vessel formation and tissue regeneration in ischemic pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doris Schneller
- From the Department of Vascular Biology and Thrombosis Research (D.S., C.S., K.L., B.G., M.S., M. Wen, J.T., E.H.), Medical University of Vienna, Austria.,Division Signal Transduction and Growth Control, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg (D.S.)
| | - Renate Hofer-Warbinek
- Clinical Department for Heart Surgery (R.H.-W., A.H., A.K.), Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | - Caterina Sturtzel
- From the Department of Vascular Biology and Thrombosis Research (D.S., C.S., K.L., B.G., M.S., M. Wen, J.T., E.H.), Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | - Karoline Lipnik
- From the Department of Vascular Biology and Thrombosis Research (D.S., C.S., K.L., B.G., M.S., M. Wen, J.T., E.H.), Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | - Burcu Gencelli
- From the Department of Vascular Biology and Thrombosis Research (D.S., C.S., K.L., B.G., M.S., M. Wen, J.T., E.H.), Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | - Monika Seltenhammer
- From the Department of Vascular Biology and Thrombosis Research (D.S., C.S., K.L., B.G., M.S., M. Wen, J.T., E.H.), Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | - Mingjie Wen
- From the Department of Vascular Biology and Thrombosis Research (D.S., C.S., K.L., B.G., M.S., M. Wen, J.T., E.H.), Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | - Julia Testori
- From the Department of Vascular Biology and Thrombosis Research (D.S., C.S., K.L., B.G., M.S., M. Wen, J.T., E.H.), Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | - Martin Bilban
- Department of Laboratory Medicine (M.B.), Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Markus Windwarder
- Department of Chemistry, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria (M. Windwarder, F.A.)
| | - Stephanie S Kapel
- Division of Vascular Oncology and Metastasis, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance), Heidelberg, Germany (S.S.K., E.B., H.G.A.).,Department of Vascular Biology and Tumor Angiogenesis, European Center for Angioscience, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Germany (S.S.K., H.G.A.)
| | - Eva Besemfelder
- Division of Vascular Oncology and Metastasis, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance), Heidelberg, Germany (S.S.K., E.B., H.G.A.)
| | - Petra Cejka
- Department of Immunology (P.C., O.M.), Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | - Andreas Habertheuer
- Clinical Department for Heart Surgery (R.H.-W., A.H., A.K.), Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | - Bernhard Schlechta
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics (B.S.), Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | - Otto Majdic
- Department of Immunology (P.C., O.M.), Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | - Friedrich Altmann
- Department of Chemistry, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria (M. Windwarder, F.A.)
| | - Alfred Kocher
- Clinical Department for Heart Surgery (R.H.-W., A.H., A.K.), Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | - Hellmut G Augustin
- Division of Vascular Oncology and Metastasis, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance), Heidelberg, Germany (S.S.K., E.B., H.G.A.).,Department of Vascular Biology and Tumor Angiogenesis, European Center for Angioscience, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Germany (S.S.K., H.G.A.)
| | | | - Erhard Hofer
- From the Department of Vascular Biology and Thrombosis Research (D.S., C.S., K.L., B.G., M.S., M. Wen, J.T., E.H.), Medical University of Vienna, Austria
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Sturtzel C, Lipnik K, Hofer-Warbinek R, Testori J, Ebner B, Seigner J, Qiu P, Bilban M, Jandrositz A, Preisegger KH, Untergasser G, Gunsilius E, de Martin R, Kroll J, Hofer E. FOXF1 Mediates Endothelial Progenitor Functions and Regulates Vascular Sprouting. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2018; 6:76. [PMID: 29963552 PMCID: PMC6010557 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2018.00076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2018] [Accepted: 05/24/2018] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Endothelial colony forming cells (ECFC) or late blood outgrowth endothelial cells (BOEC) have been proposed to contribute to neovascularization in humans. Exploring genes characteristic for the progenitor status of ECFC we have identified the forkhead box transcription factor FOXF1 to be selectively expressed in ECFC compared to mature endothelial cells isolated from the vessel wall. Analyzing the role of FOXF1 by gain- and loss-of-function studies we detected a strong impact of FOXF1 expression on the particularly high sprouting capabilities of endothelial progenitors. This apparently relates to the regulation of expression of several surface receptors. First, FOXF1 overexpression specifically induces the expression of Notch2 receptors and induces sprouting. Vice versa, knock-down of FOXF1 and Notch2 reduces sprouting. In addition, FOXF1 augments the expression of VEGF receptor-2 and of the arterial marker ephrin B2, whereas it downmodulates the venous marker EphB4. In line with these findings on human endothelial progenitors, we further show that knockdown of FOXF1 in the zebrafish model alters, during embryonic development, the regular formation of vasculature by sprouting. Hence, these findings support a crucial role of FOXF1 for endothelial progenitors and connected vascular sprouting as it may be relevant for tissue neovascularization. It further implicates Notch2, VEGF receptor-2, and ephrin B2 as downstream mediators of FOXF1 functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caterina Sturtzel
- Department of Vascular Biology and Thrombosis Research, Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Karoline Lipnik
- Department of Vascular Biology and Thrombosis Research, Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Renate Hofer-Warbinek
- Department of Vascular Biology and Thrombosis Research, Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Julia Testori
- Department of Vascular Biology and Thrombosis Research, Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Bettina Ebner
- Department of Vascular Biology and Thrombosis Research, Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jaqueline Seigner
- Department of Vascular Biology and Thrombosis Research, Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ping Qiu
- Department of Vascular Biology and Thrombosis Research, Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Martin Bilban
- Department of Laboratory Medicine & Core Facility Genomics, Core Facilities, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Karl-Heinz Preisegger
- VivoCell Biosolutions GmbH, Graz, Austria.,Institut für morphologische Analytik und Humangenetik, Graz, Austria
| | - Gerold Untergasser
- Laboratory for Tumor Biology & Angiogenesis, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Eberhard Gunsilius
- Laboratory for Tumor Biology & Angiogenesis, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Rainer de Martin
- Department of Vascular Biology and Thrombosis Research, Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jens Kroll
- Department of Vascular Biology and Tumor Angiogenesis, European for Center for Angioscience, Medical Faculty Mannheim of Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Erhard Hofer
- Department of Vascular Biology and Thrombosis Research, Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Sturtzel C, Testori J, Schweighofer B, Bilban M, Hofer E. The transcription factor MEF2C negatively controls angiogenic sprouting of endothelial cells depending on oxygen. PLoS One 2014; 9:e101521. [PMID: 24988463 PMCID: PMC4079651 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0101521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2014] [Accepted: 06/09/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The MADS box transcription factor MEF2C has been detected by us to be upregulated by the angiogenic factors VEGF-A and bFGF in endothelial cells. We have here investigated its potential role for angiogenesis. MEF2C was surprisingly found to strongly inhibit angiogenic sprouting, whereas a dominant negative mutant rather induced sprouting. The factor mainly affected migratory processes of endothelial cells, but not proliferation. In gene profiling experiments we delineated the alpha-2-macroglobulin gene to be highly upregulated by MEF2C. Further data confirmed that MEF2C in endothelial cells indeed induces alpha-2-macroglobulin mRNA as well as the secretion of alpha-2-macroglobulin and that conditioned supernatants of cells overexpressing MEF2C inhibit sprouting. Alpha-2-macroglobulin mediates, at least to a large extent, the inhibitory effects of MEF2C as is shown by knockdown of alpha-2-macroglobulin mRNA by lentiviral shRNA expression which reduces the inhibitory effect. However, under hypoxic conditions the VEGF-A/bFGF-mediated upregulation of MEF2C is reduced and the production of alpha-2-macroglobulin largely abolished. Taken together, this suggests that the MEF2C/alpha-2-macroglobulin axis functions in endothelial cells as a negative feed-back mechanism that adapts sprouting activity to the oxygen concentration thus diminishing inappropriate and excess angiogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caterina Sturtzel
- Department of Vascular Biology and Thrombosis Research, Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Julia Testori
- Department of Vascular Biology and Thrombosis Research, Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Bernhard Schweighofer
- Department of Vascular Biology and Thrombosis Research, Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Martin Bilban
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Erhard Hofer
- Department of Vascular Biology and Thrombosis Research, Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- * E-mail:
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Schweighofer B, Testori J, Sturtzel C, Sattler S, Mayer H, Wagner O, Bilban M, Hofer E. The VEGF-induced transcriptional response comprises gene clusters at the crossroad of angiogenesis and inflammation. Thromb Haemost 2009; 102:544-54. [PMID: 19718476 DOI: 10.1160/th08-12-0830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
VEGF-A is the major trigger of vasculogenesis and physiologic angiogenesis. We have investigated to which extent the gene repertoire induced by VEGF-A in endothelial cells is distinct from that of other growth factors and inflammatory cytokines. Genes upregulated in human umbilical vein endothelial cells treated with VEGF, EGF or IL-1 were compared by microarray analysis and clusters characteristic for individual or combinations of inducers were defined. VEGF-A upregulated in comparison to EGF a five-fold larger gene repertoire, which surprisingly overlapped to 60% with the inflammatory repertoire of IL-1. As shown by real-time RT-PCR for selected genes, VEGF-induction was mostly mediated by VEGF receptor-2 and the capacity of VEGF-A to induce genes in common with IL-1 largely depended on activation of the calcineurin/NFAT pathway, since cyclosporin A inhibited this induction. Another angiogenic growth factor, bFGF, did not share a comparable induction of inflammatory genes, but partially induced a small group of genes in common with VEGF-A, which were not regulated by EGF. Thus, the data display that VEGF-A induces a distinct gene repertoire, which, contrasting with other growth factors such as EGF or bFGF, includes an inherent inflammatory component possibly contributing to the cross-regulation of angiogenesis and inflammation as further indicated by the VEGF-mediated induction of leukocyte adhesion. Furthermore, a small group of genes selectively induced by VEGF-A with potential importance for angiogenesis is defined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernhard Schweighofer
- Department of Vascular Biology and Thrombosis Research, Center for Biomolecular Medicine and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria. E
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