Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts: Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound   Target Concepts: Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound

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Query: EC:2.7.10.1 (ERK)
95,504 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Neuropilin-1 (NRP1) is a co-receptor for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) that enhances the angiogenic signals cooperatively with VEGFR2. VEGF signaling is essential for physiological and pathological angiogenesis through its effects on vascular endothelial cells (ECs) and smooth muscle cells (SMCs), but the mechanisms coordinating this response are not well understood. Here we show that a substantial fraction of NRP1 is proteoglycan modified with either heparan sulfate or chondroitin sulfate on a single conserved Ser. The composition of the NRP1 glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chains differs between ECs and SMCs. Glycosylation increased VEGF binding in both cell types, but the differential GAG composition of NRP1 mediates opposite responsiveness to VEGF in ECs and SMCs. Finally, NRP1 expression and its GAG modification post-transcriptionally regulate VEGFR2 protein expression. These findings indicate that GAG modification of NRP1 plays a critical role in modulating VEGF signaling, and may provide new insights into physiological and pathological angiogenesis.
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PMID:Glycosaminoglycan modification of neuropilin-1 modulates VEGFR2 signaling. 1676 49

VEGF-A165 plays a central role in neovascularization. The biological activities of VEGF-A165 are largely mediated through KDR. VEGF-A165 also binds to cellular coreceptors, neuropilin-1 (NP-1), and heparin, via its C-terminal domain, resulting in functional modulation. Parapoxvirus-encoded VEGFs (PV-VEGFs), which recognize KDR, possess basic amino acid clusters in their C-terminal regions. Some PV-VEGFs may interact with NP-1; however, the NP-1- and heparin-binding properties have not been fully characterized. Here, we demonstrate that the heparin- and NP-1-binding region of PV-VEGFs is located in its C-terminal tail. Furthermore, the two arginine residues adjacent to the C-terminus greatly contribute to both interactions.
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PMID:Localization of heparin- and neuropilin-1-recognition sites of viral VEGFs. 1689 14

The development of functional blood and lymphatic vessels requires spatio-temporal coordination of the production and release of growth factors such as vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs). VEGF family proteins are produced in multiple isoforms with distinct biological properties and bind to three types of VEGF receptors. A VEGF-A splice variant, VEGF-A(165)b, has recently been isolated from kidney epithelial cells. This variant is identical to VEGF-A(165) except for the last six amino acids encoded by an alternative exon. VEGF-A(165)b and VEGF-A(165) bind VEGF receptors 1 and 2 with similar affinity. VEGF-A(165)b elicits drastically reduced activity in angiogenesis assays and even counteracts signaling by VEGF-A(165). VEGF-A(165)b weakly binds to heparan sulfate and does not interact with neuropilin-1, a coreceptor for VEGF receptor 2. To determine the molecular basis for altered signaling by VEGF-A(165)b we measured VEGF receptor 2 and ERK kinase activity in endothelial cells in culture. VEGF-A(165) induced strong and sustained activation of VEGF receptor 2 and ERK-1 and -2, while activation by VEGF-A(165)b was only weak and transient. Taken together these data show that VEGF-A(165)b has attenuated signaling potential through VEGF receptor 2 defining this new member of the VEGF family as a partial receptor agonist.
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PMID:A VEGF-A splice variant defective for heparan sulfate and neuropilin-1 binding shows attenuated signaling through VEGFR-2. 1690 99

Neuropilin-1 (NRP-1), a non-tyrosine kinase receptor of vascular endothelial growth factor-165 (VEGF165), was found expressed on endothelial and some tumor cells. Since its overexpression is correlated with tumor angiogenesis and progression, the targeting of NRP-1 could be a potential anti-cancer strategy. To explore this hypothesis, we identified a peptide inhibiting the VEGF165 binding to NRP-1 and we tested whether it was able to inhibit tumor growth and angiogenesis. To prove the target of peptide action, we assessed its effects on binding of radiolabeled VEGF165 to recombinant receptors and to cultured cells expressing only VEGFR-2 (KDR) or NRP-1. Antiangiogenic activity of the peptide was tested in vitro in tubulogenesis assays and in vivo in nude mice xenotransplanted in fat-pad with breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells. Tumor volumes, vascularity and proliferation indices were determined. The selected peptide, ATWLPPR, inhibited the VEGF165 binding to NRP-1 but not to tyrosine kinase receptors, VEGFR-1 (flt-1) and KDR; nor did it bind to heparin. It diminished the VEGF-induced human umbilical vein endothelial cell proliferation and tubular formation on Matrigel and in co-culture with fibroblasts. Administration of ATWLPPR to nude mice inhibited the growth of MDA-MB-231 xenografts, and reduced blood vessel density and endothelial cell area but did not alter the proliferation indices of the tumor. In conclusion, ATWLPPR, a previously identified KDR-interacting peptide, was shown to inhibit the VEGF165 interactions with NRP-1 but not with KDR and to decrease the tumor angiogenesis and growth, thus validating, in vivo, NRP-1 as a possible target for antiangiogenic and antitumor agents.
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PMID:Antiangiogenic and antitumor activities of peptide inhibiting the vascular endothelial growth factor binding to neuropilin-1. 1695 72

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) synoviocytes are resistant to apoptosis and exhibit a transformed phenotype, which might be caused by chronic exposure to genotoxic stimuli including reactive oxygen species and growth factors. In this study, we investigated the role of vascular endothelial growth factor165 (VEGF165), a potent angiogenic factor, and its receptor in the apoptosis of synoviocytes. We demonstrated here that neuropilin-1, rather than fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 and kinase insert domain-containing receptor, is the major VEGF165 receptor in the fibroblast-like synoviocytes. Neuropilin-1 was highly expressed in the lining layer, infiltrating leukocytes, and endothelial cells of rheumatoid synovium. The production of VEGF165, a ligand for neuropilin, was significantly higher in the RA synoviocytes than in the osteoarthritis synoviocytes. The ligation of recombinant VEGF165 to its receptor prevented the apoptosis of synoviocytes induced by serum starvation or sodium nitroprusside (SNP). VEGF165 rapidly triggered phospho-Akt and phospho-ERK activity and then induced Bcl-2 expression in the rheumatoid synoviocytes. The Akt or ERK inhibitor cancelled the protective effect of VEGF165 on SNP-induced synoviocyte apoptosis. Moreover, VEGF165 blocks SNP-induced Bcl-2 down-regulation as well as SNP-induced Bax translocation from the cytosol to the mitochondria. The down-regulation of the neuropilin-1 transcripts by short interfering RNA caused spontaneous synoviocyte apoptosis, which was associated with both the decrease in Bcl-2 expression and the increase in Bax translocation to mitochondria. Collectively, our data suggest that the interaction of VEGF165 with neuropilin-1 is crucial to the survival of rheumatoid synoviocytes and provide important implications for the abnormal growth of synoviocytes and therapeutic intervention in RA.
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PMID:Interaction of vascular endothelial growth factor 165 with neuropilin-1 protects rheumatoid synoviocytes from apoptotic death by regulating Bcl-2 expression and Bax translocation. 1701 62

This review discusses multivalency in the context of drug discovery, specifically the discovery of new diagnostic imaging and related agents. The aim is to draw attention to the powerful role that multivalency plays throughout research involving molecular biology, in general, and much of biochemically targeted contrast agent research, in particular. Two examples from the author's laboratory are described. We created small (approximately 5 kDa) peptide 'dimers' composed of two different, chemically linked peptides. The monomer peptides both bound to the same target protein with K(d) approximately 100 s nM, while the heterodimers had sub-nM K(d) values. Biological activity was evident in the heterodimers where none or very little existed in homodimers, monomers or monomer mixtures. Two different tyrosine kinases (KDR and C-Met) and four peptide families produced consistent results: multivalent heterodimers were uniquely different. The second example begins with making two micron ultrasound bubbles coated with the peptide, TKPPR (a Tuftsin antagonist) as a negative control for bubbles targeted with angiogenesis target-binding peptides. Unexpected binding of a 'negative' control, (TKPPR)-targeted bubble to endothelial cells expressing angiogenesis targets, led to the surprising result that TKPPR, only when multimerized, binds avidly, specifically and actively to neuropilin-1, a VEGF co-receptor. VEGF is the primary stimulator of angiogenesis. Tuftsin is a small peptide (TKPR) derived from IgG that binds to macrophages during inflammation, and has been studied for over 30 years. The receptor has never been cloned. The results led to new conclusions about Tuftsin, neuropilin-1 and the purpose, up to now unknown, of exon 8 in VEGF. Multivalency can be used rationally to solve practical problems in drug discovery. When targeting larger structures, multivalency is frequently unavoidable, and can lead to unpredictable and useful biochemical information, as well as to new drug candidates.
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PMID:Adventures in multivalency, the Harry S. Fischer memorial lecture CMR 2005; Evian, France. 1719 94

Angiogenesis (neovascularization) plays a crucial role in a variety of physiological and pathological conditions including cancer, cardiovascular disease, and wound healing. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a critical regulator of angiogenesis. Multiple VEGF receptors are expressed on endothelial cells, including signaling receptor tyrosine kinases (VEGFR1 and VEGFR2) and the nonsignaling co-receptor Neuropilin-1. Neuropilin-1 binds only the isoform of VEGF responsible for pathological angiogenesis (VEGF165), and is thus a potential target for inhibiting VEGF signaling. Using the first molecularly detailed computational model of VEGF and its receptors, we have shown previously that the VEGFR-Neuropilin interactions explain the observed differential effects of VEGF isoforms on VEGF signaling in vitro, and demonstrated potent VEGF inhibition by an antibody to Neuropilin-1 that does not block ligand binding but blocks subsequent receptor coupling. In the present study, we extend that computational model to simulation of in vivo VEGF transport and binding, and predict the in vivo efficacy of several Neuropilin-targeted therapies in inhibiting VEGF signaling: (a) blocking Neuropilin-1 expression; (b) blocking VEGF binding to Neuropilin-1; (c) blocking Neuropilin-VEGFR coupling. The model predicts that blockade of Neuropilin-VEGFR coupling is significantly more effective than other approaches in decreasing VEGF-VEGFR2 signaling. In addition, tumor types with different receptor expression levels respond differently to each of these treatments. In designing human therapeutics, the mechanism of attacking the target plays a significant role in the outcome: of the strategies tested here, drugs with similar properties to the Neuropilin-1 antibody are predicted to be most effective. The tumor type and the microenvironment of the target tissue are also significant in determining therapeutic efficacy of each of the treatments studied.
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PMID:Targeting neuropilin-1 to inhibit VEGF signaling in cancer: Comparison of therapeutic approaches. 1719 35

Neuropilin-1 (NRP1) guides the development of the nervous and vascular systems. Binding to either semaphorins or VEGF, NRP1 acts with plexins to regulate neuronal guidance, or with VEGFR2 to mediate vascular development. We have generated two monoclonal antibodies that bind to the Sema- and VEGF-binding domains of NRP1, respectively. Both antibodies reduce angiogenesis and vascular remodeling, while having little effect on other VEGFR2-mediated events. Importantly, anti-NRP1 antibodies have an additive effect with anti-VEGF therapy in reducing tumor growth. Vessels from tumors treated with anti-VEGF show a close association with pericytes, while tumors treated with both anti-NRP1 and anti-VEGF lack this organization. We propose that blocking NRP1 function inhibits vascular remodeling, rendering vessels more susceptible to anti-VEGF therapy.
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PMID:Blocking neuropilin-1 function has an additive effect with anti-VEGF to inhibit tumor growth. 1722 90

Gene therapy has developed a new strategy to treat a variety of ischemic diseases using angiogenic growth factors. However, the endogenous expression pattern of angiogenesis-related factors in response to muscle injury is not fully characterized. In the present study, we investigated the expression of angiogenesis-related factors, vascular endothelial growth factor, angiopoietin-1, -2, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, and their receptors during muscle regeneration. Mice underwent freeze injury, and then the gastrocnemius muscles were isolated 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 14, and 28 days after surgery. Generally, changes in gene expression were most dramatic during the early stage of muscle regeneration, and were attenuated as angiogenesis progressively developed and then returned to steady-state levels. VEGF mRNA began to increase from day 3 and peaked at day 5 after muscle injury. VEGF receptors, Flt-1, KDR/Flk-1, and neuropilin-1 mRNAs were increased from 3- to 9-fold at day 3 after muscle injury. At the same time, angiopoietin-1 and angiopoietin-2 mRNA were increased by 3- and 15-fold respectively, concomitantly with an increase in their receptors and Tie-2 mRNA. Finally, MCP-1 and CC-chemokine receptor 2 mRNAs were sharply up-regulated by 1600- and 100-fold, respectively, at day 3 after muscle injury. These results suggest that the molecular events implicated in angiogenesis occur at an early stage of muscle regeneration.
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PMID:Endogenous expression of angiogenesis-related factors in response to muscle injury. 1743 71

New therapeutic agents are needed for the treatment of androgen-independent prostate cancer (PrCa). We have investigated the effect of methylseleninic acid (MSA) on tumor stage-specific prostate cells derived from the C3 (1)/Tag model for PrCa: Pr111, a slow-growing and nontumorigenic cell line isolated from a prostate intraepithelial neoplasia lesion; Pr14, a tumorigenic line derived from a primary tumor; and Pr14C1, a sub-clone of Pr14 explanted from a lung metastasis. We demonstrate that MSA strongly inhibits cell growth and induces apoptosis in C3 (1)/Tag tumor cells, in a dose-dependent manner. A decrease in phosphorylated ERK1/2 and AKT was also found in tumor cells, but not in Pr111. Microarray analysis using affymetrix showed that the number of genes with an altered expression in tumor cells is significantly higher (p < 0.01) than in nontumoral cells. Pathways analyses revealed a decrease in the expression of genes involved in metabolism (Fabp5, Cyba), signal transduction (ERK, AKT), angiogenesis (neuropilin-1, Flt-4) and transcription (cAMP response element-binding protein) in tumor cells. The expression of neuropilin-1, a protein involved in VEGF signaling and tumor angiogenesis, was 97-fold repressed in Pr14 cells treated with MSA. Combination treatments using low doses of etoposide or taxotere (docetaxel), plus low doses of MSA revealed a strong enhancement of cell growth inhibition and apoptosis in tumor cells. Our in vivo studies using Pr14 cells xenografted into nude mice demonstrated that MSA significantly enhances the chemotherapeutical effect of etoposide, resulting in 78.3% tumor growth inhibition. These results suggest that MSA could be used against PrCa to enhance the effect of etoposide.
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PMID:Methylseleninic acid enhances the effect of etoposide to inhibit prostate cancer growth in vivo. 1752 Jun 73


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