| 1. |
- Achen, M G, et al.
(författare)
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Monoclonal antibodies to vascular endothelial growth factor-D block its interactions with both VEGF receptor-2 and VEGF receptor-3.
- 2000
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Ingår i: European Journal of Biochemistry. - 0014-2956 .- 1432-1033. ; 267:9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Vascular endothelial growth factor-D (VEGF-D), the most recently discovered mammalian member of the VEGF family, is an angiogenic protein that activates VEGF receptor-2 (VEGFR-2/Flk1/KDR) and VEGFR-3 (Flt4). These receptor tyrosine kinases, localized on vascular and lymphatic endothelial cells, signal for angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis. VEGF-D consists of a central receptor-binding VEGF homology domain (VHD) and N-terminal and C-terminal propeptides that are cleaved from the VHD to generate a mature, bioactive form consisting of dimers of the VHD. Here we report characterization of mAbs raised to the VHD of human VEGF-D in order to generate VEGF-D antagonists. The mAbs bind the fully processed VHD with high affinity and also bind unprocessed VEGF-D. We demonstrate, using bioassays for the binding and cross-linking of VEGFR-2 and VEGFR-3 and biosensor analysis with immobilized receptors, that one of the mAbs, designated VD1, is able to compete potently with mature VEGF-D for binding to both VEGFR-2 and VEGFR-3 for binding to mature VEGF-D. This indicates that the binding epitopes on VEGF-D for these two receptors may be in close proximity. Furthermore, VD1 blocks the mitogenic response of human microvascular endothelial cells to VEGF-D. The anti-(VEGF-D) mAbs raised to the bioactive region of this growth factor will be powerful tools for analysis of the biological functions of VEGF-D.
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| 2. |
- Achen, M G, et al.
(författare)
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Vascular endothelial growth factor D (VEGF-D) is a ligand for the tyrosine kinases VEGF receptor 2 (Flk1) and VEGF receptor 3 (Flt4).
- 1998
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - 0027-8424 .- 1091-6490. ; 95:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We have identified a member of the VEGF family by computer-based homology searching and have designated it VEGF-D. VEGF-D is most closely related to VEGF-C by virtue of the presence of N- and C-terminal extensions that are not found in other VEGF family members. In adult human tissues, VEGF-D mRNA is most abundant in heart, lung, skeletal muscle, colon, and small intestine. Analyses of VEGF-D receptor specificity revealed that VEGF-D is a ligand for both VEGF receptors (VEGFRs) VEGFR-2 (Flk1) and VEGFR-3 (Flt4) and can activate these receptors. However. VEGF-D does not bind to VEGFR-1. Expression of a truncated derivative of VEGF-D demonstrated that the receptor-binding capacities reside in the portion of the molecule that is most closely related in primary structure to other VEGF family members and that corresponds to the mature form of VEGF-C. In addition, VEGF-D is a mitogen for endothelial cells. The structural and functional similarities between VEGF-D and VEGF-C define a subfamily of the VEGFs.
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| 3. |
- Alvarez, Alberto, et al.
(författare)
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Tamoxifen-independent recombination of reporter genes limits lineage tracing and mosaic analysis using CreER(T2) lines
- 2020
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Ingår i: Transgenic research. - : Springer Nature. - 0962-8819 .- 1573-9368. ; 29:1, s. 53-68
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The CreER(T2)/loxP system is widely used to induce conditional gene deletion in mice. One of the main advantages of the system is that Cre-mediated recombination can be controlled in time through Tamoxifen administration. This has allowed researchers to study the function of embryonic lethal genes at later developmental timepoints. In addition, CreER(T2) mouse lines are commonly used in combination with reporter genes for lineage tracing and mosaic analysis. In order for these experiments to be reliable, it is crucial that the cell labeling approach only marks the desired cell population and their progeny, as unfaithful expression of reporter genes in other cell types or even unintended labeling of the correct cell population at an undesired time point could lead to wrong conclusions. Here we report that all CreER(T2) mouse lines that we have studied exhibit a certain degree of Tamoxifen-independent, basal, Cre activity. Using Ai14 and Ai3, two commonly used fluorescent reporter genes, we show that those basal Cre activity levels are sufficient to label a significant amount of cells in a variety of tissues during embryogenesis, postnatal development and adulthood. This unintended labelling of cells imposes a serious problem for lineage tracing and mosaic analysis experiments. Importantly, however, we find that reporter constructs differ greatly in their susceptibility to basal CreER(T2) activity. While Ai14 and Ai3 easily recombine under basal CreER(T2) activity levels, mTmG and R26R-EYFP rarely become activated under these conditions and are therefore better suited for cell tracking experiments.
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| 4. |
- Álvarez-Aznar, Alberto
(författare)
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Cdc42, orchestrator of vascular morphogenesis in the retina
- 2020
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Cdc42 is a small GTPase that controls many cellular functions related to cytoskeletal dynamics, such as migration, polarity, and proliferation. Despite what we know of Cdc42 in other cell types, not much research has been done on the vasculature. This thesis describes the consequences of Cdc42 deletion in two vascular cell types—endothelial and mural cells—during developmental angiogenesis.In paper I, we demonstrate through a combination of in vitro, in silico, and in vivo assays, that Cdc42-deficient endothelial cells migrate less and fail to distribute normally in areas of naturally occurring high proliferation during angiogenesis, causing vascular malformations with enlarged lumens. In addition, these cells present impaired filopodia formation, a disadvantage for the tip cell position, disturbed axial polarity and altered junctions.With an in vivo approach, in paper III we demonstrate that the deletion of Cdc42 in mural cells has consequences on the morphogenesis of the retinal vasculature. Cdc42-deficient mural cells proliferate less and cannot keep up with the nascent angiogenic vasculature, which results in a complete pericyte loss at the sprouting front. Furthermore, we describe that mural cells contribute to the remodeling of the vasculature, also after the initial phases of angiogenesis.The CreERT2 system is frequently used for conditional gene deletion and lineage tracing. Tamoxifen administration allows spatiotemporally controlled recombination of fluorescent reporters, and tracing of the labeled cells. However, in the course of our studies, we observed tamoxifen-independent recombination. In paper II, we describe this phenomenon in detail, using different combinations of CreERT2 and fluorescent reporter lines. We conclude that tamoxifen-independent recombination is a widespread occurrence, and that fluorescent reporter lines present varying levels of susceptibility to it.In summary, the work presented here sheds new light on the role of Cdc42 in the vasculature. Additionally, this thesis describes in detail an important feature of CreERT2 and reporter lines that should be taken into account when performing lineage-tracing experiments.
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| 5. |
- Arasa, Jorge, et al.
(författare)
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Upregulation of VCAM-1 in lymphatic collectors supports dendritic cell entry and rapid migration to lymph nodes in inflammation
- 2021
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Ingår i: Journal of Experimental Medicine. - : Rockefeller University Press. - 0022-1007 .- 1540-9538. ; 218:7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Dendritic cell (DC) migration to draining lymph nodes (dLNs) is a slow process that is believed to begin with DCs approaching and entering into afferent lymphatic capillaries. From capillaries, DCs slowly crawl into lymphatic collectors, where lymph flow induced by collector contraction supports DC detachment and thereafter rapid, passive transport to dLNs. Performing a transcriptomics analysis of dermal endothelial cells, we found that inflammation induces the degradation of the basement membrane (BM) surrounding lymphatic collectors and preferential up-regulation of the DC trafficking molecule VCAM-1 in collectors. In crawl-in experiments performed in ear skin explants, DCs entered collectors in a CCR7- and beta 1 integrin-dependent manner. In vivo, loss of beta 1-integrins in DCs or of VCAM-1 in lymphatic collectors had the greatest impact on DC migration to dLNs at early time points when migration kinetics favor the accumulation of rapidly migrating collector DCs rather than slower capillary DCs. Taken together, our findings identify collector entry as a critical mechanism enabling rapid DC migration to dLNs in inflammation.
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| 6. |
- Aspelund, Aleksanteri, et al.
(författare)
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Lymphatic System in Cardiovascular Medicine
- 2016
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Ingår i: Circulation Research. - 0009-7330 .- 1524-4571. ; 118:3, s. 515-530
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- The mammalian circulatory system comprises both the cardiovascular system and the lymphatic system. In contrast to the blood vascular circulation, the lymphatic system forms a unidirectional transit pathway from the extracellular space to the venous system. It actively regulates tissue fluid homeostasis, absorption of gastrointestinal lipids, and trafficking of antigen-presenting cells and lymphocytes to lymphoid organs and on to the systemic circulation. The cardinal manifestation of lymphatic malfunction is lymphedema. Recent research has implicated the lymphatic system in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases including obesity and metabolic disease, dyslipidemia, inflammation, atherosclerosis, hypertension, and myocardial infarction. Here, we review the most recent advances in the field of lymphatic vascular biology, with a focus on cardiovascular disease.
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| 7. |
- Aspelund, Aleksanteri, et al.
(författare)
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The Schlemm's canal is a VEGF-C/VEGFR-3-responsive lymphatic-like vessel
- 2014
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Ingår i: Journal of Clinical Investigation. - 0021-9738 .- 1558-8238. ; 124:9, s. 3975-3986
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In glaucoma, aqueous outflow into the Schlemm's canal (SC) is obstructed. Despite striking structural and functional similarities with the lymphatic vascular, system, it is unknown whether the SC is a blood or lymphatic vessel. Here, we demonstrated the expression of lymphatic endothelial cell markers by the SC in murine and zebrafish models as well as in human eye tissue. The initial stages of SC development involved induction of the transcription factor PROX1 and the lymphangiogenic receptor tyrosine kinase VEGFR-3 in venous endothelial cells in postnatal mice. Using gene deletion and function-blocking antibodies in mice, we determined that the lymphangiogenic growth factor VEGF-C and its receptor, VEGFR-3, are essential for SC development. Delivery of VEGF-C into the adult eye resulted in sprouting, proliferation, and growth of SC endothelial cells, whereas VEGF-A obliterated the aqueous outflow system. Furthermore, a single injection of recombinant VEGF-C induced SC growth and was associated with trend toward a sustained decrease in intraocular pressure in adult mice. These results reveal the evolutionary conservation of the lymphatic-like phenotype of the SC, implicate VEGF-C and VEGFR-3 as critical regulators of SC lymphangiogenesis, and provide a basis for further studies on therapeutic manipulation of the SC with VEGF-C in glaucoma treatment.
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| 8. |
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| 9. |
- Bazigou, Eleni, et al.
(författare)
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Flow control in our vessels : vascular valves make sure there is no way back.
- 2013
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Ingår i: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences (CMLS). - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1420-682X .- 1420-9071. ; 70:6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The efficient transport of blood and lymph relies on competent intraluminal valves that ensure unidirectional fluid flow through the vessels. In the lymphatic vessels, lack of luminal valves causes reflux of lymph and can lead to lymphedema, while dysfunction of venous valves is associated with venous hypertension, varicose veins, and thrombosis that can lead to edema and ulcerations. Despite their clinical importance, the mechanisms that regulate valve formation are poorly understood and have only recently begun to be characterized. Here, we discuss new findings regarding the development of venous and lymphatic valves that indicate the involvement of common molecular mechanisms in regulating valve formation in different vascular beds.
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| 10. |
- Bazigou, Eleni, et al.
(författare)
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Genes regulating lymphangiogenesis control venous valve formation and maintenance in mice.
- 2011
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Ingår i: Journal of Clinical Investigation. - 0021-9738 .- 1558-8238. ; 121:8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Chronic venous disease and venous hypertension are common consequences of valve insufficiency, yet the molecular mechanisms regulating the formation and maintenance of venous valves have not been studied. Here, we provide what we believe to be the first description of venous valve morphogenesis and identify signaling pathways required for the process. The initial stages of valve development were found to involve induction of ephrin-B2, a key marker of arterial identity, by venous endothelial cells. Intriguingly, developing and mature venous valves also expressed a repertoire of proteins, including prospero-related homeobox 1 (Prox1), Vegfr3, and integrin-α9, previously characterized as specific and critical regulators of lymphangiogenesis. Using global and venous valve-selective knockout mice, we further demonstrate the requirement of ephrin-B2 and integrin-α9 signaling for the development and maintenance of venous valves. Our findings therefore identified molecular regulators of venous valve development and maintenance and highlighted the involvement of common morphogenetic processes and signaling pathways in controlling valve formation in veins and lymphatic vessels. Unexpectedly, we found that venous valve endothelial cells closely resemble lymphatic (valve) endothelia at the molecular level, suggesting plasticity in the ability of a terminally differentiated endothelial cell to take on a different phenotypic identity.
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