Endothelial epsin deficiency decreases tumor growth by enhancing VEGF signaling

J Clin Invest. 2012 Dec;122(12):4424-38. doi: 10.1172/JCI64537. Epub 2012 Nov 26.

Abstract

Epsins are a family of ubiquitin-binding, endocytic clathrin adaptors. Mice lacking both epsins 1 and 2 (Epn1/2) die at embryonic day 10 and exhibit an abnormal vascular phenotype. To examine the angiogenic role of endothelial epsins, we generated mice with constitutive or inducible deletion of Epn1/2 in vascular endothelium. These mice exhibited no abnormal phenotypes under normal conditions, suggesting that lack of endothelial epsins 1 and 2 did not affect normal blood vessels. In tumors, however, loss of epsins 1 and 2 resulted in disorganized vasculature, significantly increased vascular permeability, and markedly retarded tumor growth. Mechanistically, we show that VEGF promoted binding of epsin to ubiquitinated VEGFR2. Loss of epsins 1 and 2 specifically impaired endocytosis and degradation of VEGFR2, which resulted in excessive VEGF signaling that compromised tumor vascular function by exacerbating nonproductive leaky angiogenesis. This suggests that tumor vasculature requires a balance in VEGF signaling to provide sufficient productive angiogenesis for tumor development and that endothelial epsins 1 and 2 negatively regulate the output of VEGF signaling. Promotion of excessive VEGF signaling within tumors via a block of epsin 1 and 2 function may represent a strategy to prevent normal angiogenesis in cancer patients who are resistant to anti-VEGF therapies.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Adaptor Proteins, Vesicular Transport / deficiency
  • Adaptor Proteins, Vesicular Transport / genetics*
  • Animals
  • Capillary Permeability
  • Carcinoma, Lewis Lung / blood supply
  • Carcinoma, Lewis Lung / metabolism
  • Carcinoma, Lewis Lung / pathology
  • Cell Movement
  • Cell Proliferation*
  • Endocytosis
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells / metabolism*
  • Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells / physiology
  • Humans
  • Intercellular Junctions / metabolism
  • Intercellular Junctions / pathology
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Neoplasm Transplantation
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / metabolism
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / pathology
  • Proteolysis
  • Signal Transduction*
  • Tumor Burden
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / metabolism
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / physiology*
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / metabolism

Substances

  • Adaptor Proteins, Vesicular Transport
  • Epn2 protein, mouse
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • epsin
  • vascular endothelial growth factor A, mouse
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2