VEGF-related protein isolated from Vipera palestinae venom, promotes angiogenesis

Growth Factors. 2007 Apr;25(2):108-17. doi: 10.1080/08977190701532385.

Abstract

Therapeutic angiogenesis is one of the major approaches in designing new therapies for cardiovascular diseases. vpVEGF was purified from Vipera palestinae venom using two steps of reverse-phase HPLC. Structurally, vpVEGF belongs to the VEGF-F1 family of snake venom proteins, and potently stimulated dHMVEC proliferation in a VEGFR-2 dependent manner. This growth factor appeared to be a chemoattractant for migration of these cells and stimulated their radial migration in a collagen gel. The stimulatory effect on dHMVEC was correlated with activation of the MAPK Erk1/2 signaling pathway. In vivo vpVEGF induced angiogenesis in a Japanese quail assay and in a Matrigel plug assay in mice. Although in the quail assay vpVEGF showed lower activity than hrVEGF-A165 in mammalian-related systems there were no significant differences. The experiments with dHMVEC, as well as angiogenesis in vivo suggest that the pro-angiogenic effect of vpVEGF is related to its interaction with VEGFR-2 (flk-1).

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Cell Movement
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Chemotaxis
  • Collagen / chemistry
  • Coturnix
  • Drug Combinations
  • Endothelial Cells
  • Female
  • Laminin / chemistry
  • MAP Kinase Signaling System
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic*
  • Proteoglycans / chemistry
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / metabolism*
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / metabolism
  • Venoms / metabolism
  • Viperidae

Substances

  • Drug Combinations
  • Laminin
  • Proteoglycans
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • Venoms
  • matrigel
  • Collagen
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2