Angiopoietin-2 is critical for cytokine-induced vascular leakage.

Genetic experiments (loss-of-function and gain-of-function) have established the role of Angiopoietin/Tie ligand/receptor tyrosine kinase system as a regulator of vessel maturation and quiescence. Angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) acts on Tie2-expressing resting endothelial cells as an antagonistic ligand to negatively interfere with the vessel stabilizing effects of constitutive Ang-1/Tie-2 signaling. Ang-2 thereby controls the vascular response to inflammation-inducing as well as angiogenesis-inducing cytokines. This study was aimed at assessing the role of Ang-2 as an autocrine (i.e. endothelial-derived) regulator of rapid vascular responses (within minutes) caused by permeability-inducing agents. Employing two independent in vivo assays to quantitatively assess vascular leakage (tracheal microsphere assay, 1-5 min and Miles assay, 20 min), the immediate vascular response to histamine, bradykinin and VEGF was analyzed in Ang-2-deficient (Ang-2(-/-)) mice. In comparison to the wild type control mice, the Ang2(-/-) mice demonstrated a significantly attenuated response. The Ang-2(-/-) phenotype was rescued by systemic administration (paracrine) of an adenovirus encoding Ang-2. Furthermore, cytokine-induced intracellular calcium influx was impaired in Ang-2(-/-) endothelioma cells, consistent with reduced phospholipase activation in vivo. Additionally, recombinant human Ang-2 (rhAng-2) alone was unable to induce vascular leakage. In summary, we report here in a definite genetic setting that Ang-2 is critical for multiple vascular permeability-inducing cytokines.

A CD44v6 peptide reveals a role of CD44 in VEGFR-2 signaling and angiogenesis.

A specific splice variant of the CD44 cell- surface protein family, CD44v6, has been shown to act as a coreceptor for the receptor tyrosine kinase c-Met on epithelial cells. Here we show that also on endothelial cells (ECs), the activity of c-Met is dependent on CD44v6. Furthermore, another receptor tyrosine kinase, VEGFR-2, is also regulated by CD44v6. The CD44v6 ectodomain and a small peptide mimicking a specific extracellular motif of CD44v6 or a CD44v6-specific antibody prevent CD44v6-mediated receptor activation. This indicates that the extracellular part of CD44v6 is required for interaction with c-Met or VEGFR-2. In the cytoplasm, signaling by activated c-Met and VEGFR-2 requires association of the CD44 carboxy-terminus with ezrin that couples CD44v6 to the cytoskeleton. CD44v6 controls EC migration, sprouting, and tubule formation induced by hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) or VEGF-A. In vivo the development of blood vessels from grafted EC spheroids and angiogenesis in tumors is impaired by CD44v6 blocking reagents, suggesting that the coreceptor function of CD44v6 for c-Met and VEGFR-2 is a promising target to block angiogenesis in pathologic conditions.

Spheroid-based human endothelial cell microvessel formation in vivo.

The study of angiogenic endothelial cells (ECs) has in recent years greatly stimulated multiple fields of vascular biology research. A number of cellular models and numerous complex developmental, manipulatory and tumor animal models have been developed to study angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo. To connect the versatility of cellular assays with the complexity of readouts of in vivo experimentation, we have developed an endothelial transplantation assay. This assay is based on grafting ex vivo generated EC spheroids (2 d) in a suitable matrix in immunocompromised mice, to give rise to a 3D network of capillaries (20 d). This vasculature connects to the mouse vasculature, is perfused and matures by recruiting mouse mural cells. Here we describe the detailed protocol for this assay, including generation of spheroids, injection into mice, excision and processing of resulting plugs, and quantification by immunohistochemical analysis of the resulting vasculature.

Spheroid-based engineering of a human vasculature in mice.

The complexity of the angiogenic cascade limits cellular approaches to studying angiogenic endothelial cells (ECs). In turn, in vivo assays do not allow the analysis of the distinct cellular behavior of ECs during angiogenesis. Here we show that ECs can be grafted as spheroids into a matrix to give rise to a complex three-dimensional network of human neovessels in mice. The grafted vasculature matures and is connected to the mouse circulation. The assay is highly versatile and facilitates numerous applications including studies of the effects of different cytokines on angiogenesis. Modifications make it possible to study human lymphangiogenic processes in vivo. EC spheroids can also be coimplanted with other cell types for tissue engineering purposes.