β2-Glycoprotein I Inhibits Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-Induced Angiogenesis by Suppressing the Phosphorylation of Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase 1/2, Akt, and Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase

PLoS One. 2016 Aug 31;11(8):e0161950. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0161950. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

Angiogenesis is the process of new blood vessel formation, and it plays a key role in various physiological and pathological conditions. The β2-glycoprotein I (β2-GPI) is a plasma glycoprotein with multiple biological functions, some of which remain to be elucidated. This study aimed to identify the contribution of 2-GPI on the angiogenesis induced by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a pro-angiogenic factor that may regulate endothelial remodeling, and its underlying mechanism. Our results revealed that β2-GPI dose-dependently decreased the VEGF-induced increase in endothelial cell proliferation, using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and the bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation assays. Furthermore, incubation with both β2-GPI and deglycosylated β2-GPI inhibited the VEGF-induced tube formation. Our results suggest that the carbohydrate residues of β2-GPI do not participate in the function of anti-angiogenesis. Using in vivo Matrigel plug and angioreactor assays, we show that β2-GPI remarkably inhibited the VEGF-induced angiogenesis at a physiological concentration. Moreover, β2-GPI inhibited the VEGF-induced phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), Akt, and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS). In summary, our in vitro and in vivo data reveal for the first time that β2-GPI inhibits the VEGF-induced angiogenesis and highlights the potential for β2-GPI in anti-angiogenic therapy.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Aorta / cytology*
  • Aorta / drug effects
  • Aorta / metabolism
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Endothelial Cells / cytology
  • Endothelial Cells / drug effects*
  • Endothelial Cells / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / metabolism
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / metabolism
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / chemically induced
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / metabolism*
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / metabolism
  • Phosphorylation / drug effects
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / pharmacology*
  • beta 2-Glycoprotein I / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • beta 2-Glycoprotein I
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the grants from a grant from Ministry of Education, Aiming for the Top University Plan; the National Science Council (grant number NSC 102-2320-B-010-025); and the Ministry of Science and Technology (grant number MOST 103-2320-B-010-024-MY3), Taiwan, ROC. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.