Monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) has been recognized as an angiogenic chemokine. The molecular mechanism of MCP-1-mediated angiogenesis remains unknown. We recently identified a novel transcription factor, designated MCP-1-induced protein (MCPIP), in human monocytes after treatment with MCP-1. We investigated whether MCP-1-induced angiogenesis is mediated via MCPIP. Treatment of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) with MCP-1 induced expression of MCPIP and capillary-like tube formation. Knockdown of MCPIP by small interfering RNA (siRNA) suppressed MCP-1-induced angiogenesis-related gene VEGF and HIF-1α expression as well as tube formation. Transfection of HUVECs with an MCPIP expression vector induced angiogenesis-related genes and tube formation. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis revealed that cadherin (cdh) 12 and cdh19 are in vivo targets of MCPIP. Transfection of HUVECs with MCPIP expression vector activated the expression of cdh12 and cdh19 genes. Knockdown of cdh12 or cdh19 expression markedly inhibited MCPIP-induced capillary-like tube formation. Moreover, knockdown of MCPIP also significantly suppressed MCP-1-induced cdh12 and cdh19 gene expression. Our data strongly suggest that MCP-1-induced angiogenesis is mediated via MCPIP, at least in part through transcriptional activation of cdh12 and cdh19.
Cited by (0)
This work was supported, in whole or in part, by National Institutes of Health Grant HL-69458. The costs of publication of this article were defrayed in part by the payment of page charges. This article must therefore be hereby marked “advertisement” in accordance with 18 U.S.C. Section 1734 solely to indicate this fact.
