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Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a high-risk metastasizing tumor with a poor prognosis and poorly understood mechanism. In this study, we demonstrate that transmembrane and immunoglobulin domain-containing 1 (TMIGD1) is a novel tumor suppressor that is highly expressed in normal renal tubular epithelial cells, but it is downregulated in human renal cancer. We have identified CCAAT/enhancer-binding proteinβ (C/EBPβ, also called LAP) as a key transcriptional regulator of TMIGD1, whose loss of expression is responsible for downregulation of TMIGD1 in RCC. Transcriptionally active C/EBPβ/LAP physically interacted with and increased TMIGD1 promoter activity and expression of TMIGD1. Re-introduction of TMIGD1 into renal tumor cells significantly inhibited tumor growth and metastatic behaviors such as morphogenic branching and cell migration. Restoring TMIGD1 expression in renal tumor cells stimulated phosphorylation of p38MAK, induced expression of p21CIP1 (cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1), and p27KIP1 (cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1B) expression, key cell cycle inhibitor proteins involved in regulation of the cell cycle. The present study identifies TMIGD1 as a novel candidate tumor suppressor gene and provides important insight into pathobiology of RCC that could lead to a better diagnosis and possible novel therapy for RCC.

Myelofibrosis (MF) is characterized by progressive bone marrow (BM) fibrosis resulting from aberrant megakaryopoeisis and expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines. These two processes, heavily influenced by bromodomain and extraterminal domain (BET)-mediated gene regulation, lead to myeloproliferation and cytopenias. CPI-0610 is a potent, selective and unique BET inhibitor under investigation in MF patients as monotherapy or in combination with ruxolitinib in the MANIFEST trial (NCT02158858). In ruxolitinib naïve and experienced MF patients, treatment with CPI-0610 monotherapy or in combination with ruxolitinib not only reduced spleen volume and symptoms, but also improved hemoglobin levels and overcame transfusion dependency in a subset of patients. To evaluate the effects of CPI-0610 on BM biology, correlative analyses were conducted using patient samples collected from the MANIFEST trial. Pre-treatment and post-treatment BM biopsy samples were available from 78 evaluable patients, with reticulin staining conducted and evaluated by local pathologists available for 34 pre-treatment and 24-week post-treatment pairs of BM biopsy samples. Improvement in reticulin staining of at least one grade was observed in 32% (11/34) of patients. Central pathology review of reticulin staining is ongoing and will be presented. Additional bone marrow biopsy pairs collected pre-treatment and 24-week post-treatment for exploratory histopathological assessments were available from a total of 23 unselected MANIFEST patients at the time of the abstract submission. To assess changes in erythroid and megakaryocytic lineages, H&E and immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining of CD71 and CD61 were conducted centrally. Semi-quantitative analysis revealed an overt increase in erythroid lineage formation in 61% (14/23) of patients. Patients with CD71 improvement in BM IHC generally showed a greater increase in median hemoglobin levels than those without improvement. Tight clusters of megakaryocytes (MK), characteristic in MF BM, were observed at baseline in all cases and were decreased/absent after treatment in 52% (12/23) patients. In addition, decreased MK number to To further dissect the underlying mechanism of these relative improvements in bone marrow composition and histotopography induced by CPI-0610, CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells were isolated from peripheral blood collected from multiple MF patients at baseline to evaluate the impact of CPI-0610 on MK and erythroid differentiation in vitro. When CD34+ cells from MF patients were treated with CPI-0610 in erythroid differentiation conditions in the presence of SCF, IL3 and EPO, a dose-dependent increase in more mature erythroid cell populations was observed. However, under the same conditions, ruxolitinib suppressed erythroid differentiation, which is consistent with ruxolitinib inhibition of EPO signaling and the anemia caused by ruxolitinib treatment in MF patients. Suppressive effects of ruxolitinib on erythroid differentiation were partially rescued by CPI-0610 in a dose-dependent manner. CPI-0610 treatment of CD34+ cells from MF patients in MK differentiating conditions in the presence of SCF, IL6, IL9 and TPO resulted in a dose-dependent decrease in proliferation of CD34+ cells and an increase in the ratio of late MK (CD34-/CD41a+/CD42b+) and early MK (CD34+/CD41a+/CD42b+). This CPI-0610-induced dose-dependent maturation of aberrant immature MK cells may play a role in reducing MF disease manifestations. Molecular studies to further our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of CPI-0610 treatment are ongoing. Taken together, these paired BM biopsy and in vitro myeloid maturation results demonstrated an effect of CPI-0610 in promoting erythroid and MK differentiation. These results may partially explain CPI-0610's clinical effects in MF patients, including rising hemoglobin, reduced transfusion dependency and reduction in spleen volume and symptoms. Disclosures Mertz: Constellation Pharmaceuticals: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Keller:Constellation Pharmaceuticals: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Meyer:Constellation Pharmaceuticals: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Zavidij:Constellation Pharmaceuticals: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Cui:Constellation Pharmaceuticals: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Verstovsek:Roche: Research Funding; Gilead: Research Funding; Promedior: Research Funding; Sierra Oncology: Consultancy, Research Funding; Protagonist Therapeutics: Research Funding; AstraZeneca: Research Funding; Genentech: Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Research Funding; Blueprint Medicines Corp: Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding; CTI Biopharma Corp: Research Funding; PharmaEssentia: Research Funding; Incyte Corporation: Consultancy, Research Funding; ItalPharma: Research Funding; NS Pharma: Research Funding. Gupta:Sierra Oncology: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Bristol MyersSquibb: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pfizer: Consultancy; Incyte: Honoraria, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding. Talpaz:IMAGO: Consultancy; Takeda: Research Funding; BMS: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Constellation Pharmaceuticals: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis: Research Funding. Harrison:Promedior: Honoraria; AOP Orphan Pharmaceuticals: Honoraria; Roche: Honoraria; Incyte Corporation: Speakers Bureau; Gilead Sciences: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; CTI Biopharma Corp: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Shire: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Janssen: Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Celgene: Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Sierra Oncology: Honoraria. Mead:CTI: Consultancy; Gilead: Consultancy; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: travel, accommodations, expenses, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Celgene/BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: travel, accommodations, expenses, Research Funding; Abbvie: Consultancy. Mesa:Novartis: Consultancy; CTI BioPharma: Research Funding; Bristol Myers Squibb: Research Funding; Sierra Oncology: Consultancy; Genentech: Research Funding; Samus Therapeutics: Research Funding; LaJolla Pharmaceutical Company: Consultancy; Incyte: Research Funding; Promedior: Research Funding; AbbVie: Research Funding. Mascarenhas:Celgene, Prelude, Galecto, Promedior, Geron, Constellation, and Incyte: Consultancy; Incyte, Kartos, Roche, Promedior, Merck, Merus, Arog, CTI Biopharma, Janssen, and PharmaEssentia: Other: Research funding (institution). Senderowicz:Constellation Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company, Ended employment in the past 24 months; Puma Biotechnology: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Colak:Constellation Pharmaceuticals: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Shao:Constellation Pharmaceuticals: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Luptakova:Constellation Pharmaceuticals: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Humphrey:Constellation Pharmaceuticals: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Wang:Constellation Pharmaceuticals: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Trojer:Constellation Pharmaceuticals: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company.

Vascular endothelial cells respond to blood flow-induced shear stress. However, the mechanisms through which endothelial cells transduce mechanical signals to cellular responses remain poorly understood. In this report, using tensile-force assays, immunofluorescence and atomic force microscopy, we demonstrate that immunoglobulin and proline-rich receptor-1 (IGPR-1) responds to mechanical stimulation and increases the stiffness of endothelial cells. We observed that IGPR-1 is activated by shear stress and tensile force and that flow shear stress–mediated IGPR-1 activation modulates remodeling of endothelial cells. We found that under static conditions, IGPR-1 is present at the cell–cell contacts; however, under shear stress, it redistributes along the cell borders into the flow direction. IGPR-1 activation stimulated actin stress fiber assembly and cross-linking with vinculin. Moreover, we noted that IGPR-1 stabilizes cell–cell junctions of endothelial cells as determined by staining of cells with ZO1. Mechanistically, shear stress stimulated activation of AKT Ser/Thr kinase 1 (AKT1), leading to phosphorylation of IGPR-1 at Ser-220. Inhibition of this phosphorylation prevented shear stress–induced actin fiber assembly and endothelial cell remodeling. Our findings indicate that IGPR-1 is an important player in endothelial cell mechanosensing, insights that have important implications for the pathogenesis of common maladies, including ischemic heart diseases and inflammation.

// Moshe Shashar 1 , Jamaica Siwak 1 , Umit Tapan 2 , Shin Yin Lee 2 , Rosana D. Meyer 3 , Paige Parrack 1 , Josenia Tan 3 , Fatemeh Khatami 1 , Jean Francis 1 , Qing Zhao 3 , Kevan Hartshorn 2 , Vijaya B. Kolachalama 4,5 , Nader Rahimi 3 and Vipul Chitalia 1,4 1 Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA 2 Department of Medicine, Hematology-Oncology Section, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA 3 Department of Pathology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA 4 Whitaker Cardiovascular Institute, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA 5 Cardiovascular Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA Correspondence to: Vipul Chitalia, email: // Keywords : colorectal cancer, Cbl, Wnt Received : June 16, 2016 Accepted : August 21, 2016 Published : September 20, 2016 Abstract Despite the loss of Adenomatous Polyposis Coli ( APC ) in a majority of colorectal cancers (CRC), not all CRCs bear hallmarks of Wnt activation, such as nuclear β-catenin. This underscores the presence of other Wnt regulators that are important to define, given the pathogenic and prognostic roles of nuclear β-catenin in human CRC. Herein, we investigated the effect of Casitas B-lineage lymphoma (c-Cbl) on nuclear β-catenin, which is an oncoprotein upregulated in CRC due to loss-of-function APC or gain-of-function CTNNB1 mutations. Despite mechanistic rationale and recent discoveries of c-Cbl’s mutations in solid tumors, little is known about its functional importance in CRC. Our study in a cohort of human CRC patients demonstrated an inverse correlation between nuclear β-catenin and c-Cbl. Further investigation showed that the loss of c-Cbl activity significantly enhanced nuclear β-catenin and CRC tumor growth in cell culture and a mouse xenograft model. c-Cbl interacted with and downregulated β-catenin in a manner that was independent of CTNNB1 or APC mutation status. This study demonstrates a previously unrecognized function of c-Cbl as a negative regulator of CRC.

Tumor genomic profiling has demonstrated that chromatin modifiers are frequently mutated in urothelial bladder cancers. The initial description of the mutational landscape of human bladder tumors indicated that 89% of cases had at least one alteration in histone-modifying genes and 64% had alterations in components of the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex, suggesting that epigenetic dysregulation may play an important role in development and progression of bladder tumors. Among chromatin modifiers, ARID1A, a key component of the SWI/SNF remodeling complex, shows mutation rates of 25% in muscle-invasive bladder cancers. The chromatin modifier EZH2 functions in the suppression of gene expression. EZH2 is a histone lysine methyltransferase and the catalytic subunit of the PRC2 complex, which methylates histone H3 at lysine 27 (H3K27) to generate the transcriptionally repressive trimethylated modification state H3K27me3. EZH2 is frequently overexpressed in a wide variety of cancers, where it represses key tumor suppressors and genes involved in apoptosis and differentiation and, thus, often correlates with poor prognosis and survival. Given the role of EZH2 in cancer, we are currently developing the EZH2 inhibitor CPI-1205 in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer. Recent publications have suggested that mutations in ARID1A create hypersensitive contexts for EZH2 inhibition in ovarian clear cell carcinomas. Given the high frequency of ARID1A mutations in bladder cancer, we were interested in whether a similar hypersensitive context exists for EZH2 inhibition in this indication. Long-term phenotypic growth assays in a panel of 21 bladder cancer cell lines treated with our second-generation EZH2 inhibitor CPI-0209 demonstrated preferential sensitivity in cell lines harboring ARID1A mutations. Sensitive cell lines showed increased subG1 populations compared to nonresponsive lines, indicating increased cell death in response to long-term EZH2 inhibition. Transcriptional profiling after CPI-0209 treatment in a panel of bladder cancer cell lines with and without ARID1A mutations showed widespread activation of EZH2 target gene expression, consistent with EZH2's transcriptionally repressive functions. These effects also translated to efficacy in vivo, where CPI-0209 treatment in bladder cell-line derived xenografts harboring ARID1A mutations led to dose-dependent tumor growth inhibition and tumor regression. Further, cotreatment of CPI-0209 with the chemotherapeutic agent cisplatin demonstrated combinatorial effects on cell viability in vitro and on in vivo tumor growth, suggesting EZH2 inhibition is also beneficial in the context of current chemotherapeutic agents in use for bladder cancers. These data support further investigation of CPI-0209 in clinical trials in bladder cancers with ARID1A mutations. Citation Format: Patricia J. Keller, Rosana Meyer, Emily Greenwald, Xinwei Han, Andrew R. Conery, Jennifer A. Mertz, Patrick Trojer. Targeting epigenetic dysregulation in bladder cancer through inhibition of EZH2 [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Bladder Cancer: Transforming the Field; 2019 May 18-21; Denver, CO. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2020;26(15_Suppl):Abstract nr A18.

Ligand stimulation promotes downregulation of RTKs, a mechanism by which RTKs, through the ubiquitination pathway are removed from the cell surface, causing a temporary termination of RTK signaling. The molecular mechanisms governing RTK trafficking and maturation in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)/Golgi compartments are poorly understood. Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) is a prototypic RTK that plays a critical role in physiologic and pathologic angiogenesis. Here we demonstrate that Ring Finger Protein 121 (RNF121), an ER ubiquitin E3 ligase, is expressed in endothelial cells and regulates maturation of VEGFR-2. RNF121 recognizes newly synthesized VEGFR-2 in the ER and controls its trafficking and maturation. Over-expression of RNF121 promoted ubiquitination of VEGFR-2, inhibited its maturation and resulted a significantly reduced VEGFR-2 presence at the cell surface. Conversely, the shRNA-mediated knockdown of RNF121 in primary endothelial cells reduced VEGFR-2 ubiquitination and increased its cell surface level. The RING Finger domain of RNF121 is required for its activity toward VEGFR-2, as its deletion significantly reduced the effect of RNF121 on VEGFR-2. Additionally, RNF121 inhibited VEGF-induced endothelial cell proliferation and angiogenesis. Taken together, these data identify RNF121 as a key determinant of angiogenic signaling that restricts VEGFR-2 cell surface presence and its angiogenic signaling.

Adhesion to extracellular matrix (ECM) is crucially important for survival of normal epithelial cells as detachment from ECM triggers specific apoptosis known as anoikis. As tumor cells lose the requirement for anchorage to ECM, they rely on cell–cell adhesion ‘multicellular aggregation’ for survival. Multicellular aggregation of tumor cells also significantly determines the sensitivity of tumor cells to the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapeutics. In this report, we demonstrate that expression of immunoglobulin containing and proline-rich receptor-1 (IGPR-1) is upregulated in human primary colon cancer. Our study demonstrates that IGPR-1 promotes tumor multicellular aggregation, and interfering with its adhesive function inhibits multicellular aggregation and, increases cell death. IGPR-1 supports colon carcinoma tumor xenograft growth in mouse, and inhibiting its activity by shRNA or blocking antibody inhibits tumor growth. More importantly, IGPR-1 regulates sensitivity of tumor cells to the chemotherapeutic agent, doxorubicin/adriamycin by a mechanism that involves doxorubicin-induced AKT activation and phosphorylation of IGPR-1 at Ser220. Our findings offer novel insight into IGPR-1's role in colorectal tumor growth, tumor chemosensitivity, and as a possible novel anti-cancer target.

Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) is an important receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) that plays critical roles in both physiologic and pathologic angiogenesis. The extracellular domain of VEGFR-2 is composed of seven immunoglobulin-like domains, each with multiple potential N-glycosylation sites (sequons). N-glycosylation plays a central role in RTK ligand binding, trafficking and stability. However, despite its importance, the functional role of N-glycosylation of VEGFR-2 remains poorly understood. The objectives of the present study were to characterize N-glycosylation sites in VEGFR-2, via enzymatic release of the glycans and concomitant incorporation of 18O into formerly N-glycosylated sites followed by tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) analysis to determine N-glycosylation site occupancy and the site-specific N-glycan heterogeneity of VEGFR-2 glycopeptides. The data demonstrated that all seven VEGFR-2 immunoglobulin-like domains have at least one occupied N-glycosylation site. MS/MS analyses of glycopeptides and deamidated, deglycosylated (PNGase F-treated) peptides from ectopically expressed VEGFR-2 in porcine aortic endothelial (PAE) cells identified N-glycans at the majority of the 17 potential N-glycosylation sites on VEGFR-2 in a site-specific manner. The data presented here provide direct evidence for site-specific, heterogeneous N-glycosylation and N-glycosylation site occupancy on VEGFR-2. The study has important implications for therapeutic targeting of VEGFR-2, ligand binding, trafficking and signaling.

IGPR-1 is a novel adhesion molecule that regulates cell–cell interaction. IGPR-1 associates with several SH3-containing proteins, including SPIN90/WISH, and regulates capillary tube formation of primary endothelial cells., Angiogenesis—the growth of new blood vessels from preexisting vessels—is an important physiological process and is considered to play a key role in tumor growth and metastasis. We identified the immunoglobulin-containing and proline-rich receptor-1 (IGPR-1, also called TMIGD2) gene as a novel cell adhesion receptor that is expressed in various human organs and tissues, mainly in cells with epithelium and endothelium origins. IGPR-1 regulates cellular morphology, homophilic cell aggregation, and cell–cell interaction. IGPR-1 activity also modulates actin stress fiber formation and focal adhesion and reduces cell migration. Silencing of expression of IGPR-1 by small interfering RNA (siRNA) and by ectopic overexpression in endothelial cells showed that IGPR-1 regulates capillary tube formation in vitro, and B16F melanoma cells engineered to express IGPR-1 displayed extensive angiogenesis in the mouse Matrigel angiogenesis model. Moreover, IGPR-1, through its proline-rich cytoplasmic domain, associates with multiple Src homology 3 (SH3)–containing signaling proteins, including SH3 protein interacting with Nck (SPIN90/WISH), bullous pemphigoid antigen-1, and calcium channel β2. Silencing of expression of SPIN90/WISH by siRNA in endothelial cells showed that SPIN90/WISH is required for capillary tube formation. These features of IGPR-1 suggest that IGPR-1 is a novel receptor that plays an important role in cell–cell interaction, cell migration, and angiogenesis.

Activation of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2), an endothelial receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK), is essential for tumor angiogenesis in tumors of diverse origin. The extracellular domain of VEGFR-2 contains seven immunoglobulin-like domains, each with multiple potential N-glycosylation sites. Changes in glycosylation influenced by hypoxia, the shunting of glycolytic intermediates via the hexosamine biosynthesis pathway into glycan synthesis, and pro-inflammatory cytokines have the potential to alter VEGFR-2 signaling in tumors. However, the role of glycosylation in VEGFR-2 signaling and function remain largely unknown. The objective of this study is to determine the functional importance of N-glycosylation in VEGFR-2 activation and angiogenic signaling. Porcine aortic endothelial (PAE) cells with ectopic expression of either wild type VEGFR-2, or one in a series of VEGFR-2 constructs with single glycosylation site mutations in the ligand binding domain, were treated with VEGF-A for 0, 5, 10 or 30 minutes. VEGFR-2 tyrosine phosphorylation was measured via Western blot with an anti-pTyr-1054-VEGFR-2 antibody to assess activation, and with anti-pTyr-1175-VEGFR-2 and anti-pTyr-1212-VEGFR-2 antibodies. Activation of key molecules involved in downstream signaling of VEGFR-2 was also monitored. To establish the glycosylation status of VEGFR-2 available for ligand-mediated signaling, we isolated plasma membrane localized VEGFR-2, performed enzymatic proteolysis, enriched glycopeptides via hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC), and analyzed glycopeptides with an Agilent 6550 Quadrupole Time-of-Flight (Q-TOF) MS using collision-induced dissociation. Mutation of one N-glycosylation site near the VEGF binding site increased ligand-dependent phosphorylation (at Tyr-1054, Tyr-1175 and Tyr-1212) within 5 min of ligand addition, and initial observations suggest that this resulted in higher levels of activated c-Src compared to wild type VEGFR-2, which may have implications for endothelial cell proliferation and migration. However, phosphorylation of other downstream signaling targets including Akt and PLCγ1 was not affected. Mutations at other N-glycosylation sites near the VEGF ligand binding site did not appear to impact ligand-mediated activation of VEGFR-2, suggesting that glycans located at certain N-linked sites may influence ligand-mediated activation while others have minimal impact. Targeting VEGFR-2 N-glycosylation may be a valuable strategy to inhibit tumor angiogenesis. This research is supported by NIH grants P41 GM104603, R01 CA191970, and F32 CA196157. Novel aspect: These results demonstrate that site-specific N-glycosylation of VEGFR-2 modulates ligand-mediated phosphorylation of key VEGFR-2 tyrosine residues involved in downstream signaling. Citation Format: Kevin B. Chandler, Deborah R. Leon, Jenevieve Kuang, Rosana D. Meyer, Nader Rahimi, Catherine E. Costello. N-glycosylation modulates endothelial cell receptor tyrosine kinase VEGFR-2 ligand-dependent activation and signaling [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2047.

Activation of phospholipase Cγ1 (PLCγ1) by vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) in endothelial cells in part is responsible for angiogenesis in vivo . The cellular mechanisms exerting negative control over PLCγ1 activation, however, remain unaddressed. Here by using in vitro and in vivo binding assays, we show that the Casitas B-lineage lymphoma (c-Cbl) E3 ubiquitin ligase constitutively associates with PLCγ1 via its C-terminal domain and conditionally interacts with VEGFR-2 via the N-terminal/TKB domain. Site-directed mutagenesis of VEGFR-2 showed that full activation of c-Cbl requires its direct association with phospho-tyrosines 1052 and 1057 of VEGFR-2 via its TKB domain and indirect association with phospho-tyrosine 1173 of VEGFR-2 via PLCγ1. The tertiary complex formation between VEGFR-2, PLCγ1 and c-Cbl selectively promotes ubiquitylation and suppression of tyrosine phosphorylation of PLCγ1 by a proteolysis-independent mechanism. Further analysis showed that association of c-Cbl with VEGFR-2 does not impact ubiquitylation, down-regulation, or tyrosine phosphorylation of VEGFR-2. Silencing of c-Cbl by siRNA revealed that endogenous c-Cbl plays an inhibitory role in angiogenesis. Our data demonstrate that corecruitment of c-Cbl and PLCγ1 to VEGFR-2 serves as a mechanism to fine-tune the angiogenic signal relay of VEGFR-2.

Wnt signaling plays important roles in both the tumor-induced angiogenesis and tumorigenesis through the transcriptionally active nuclear β-catenin. Recently, c-Cbl was identified as a unique E3 ubiquitin ligase targeting the active nuclear β-catenin. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms by which c-Cbl regulates ubiquitination and degradation of active β-catenin. Here, we demonstrate that Wnt activation promotes the phosphorylation of c-Cbl at tyrosine 731(Tyr-731), which increases c-Cbl dimerization and binding to β-catenin. Tyr-731 phosphorylation and dimerization mediate c-Cbl nuclear translocation and lead to the degradation of nuclearly active β-catenin in the Wnt-on phase. c-Cbl activation also inhibits expression of the pro-angiogenic Wnt targets, IL-8 and VEGF. Phospho-Tyr-731-inactive mutant c-Cbl (Y731F) enhances and phosphomimetic mutant c-Cbl (Y731E) suppresses angiogenesis in zebrafish. Taken together, we have identified a novel mechanism for the regulation of active nuclear β-catenin by c-Cbl and its critical role in angiogenesis. This mechanism can be further explored to modulate both the pathological angiogenesis and the tumorigenesis.

VEGFR-1 is a kinase-defective receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) and negatively modulates angiogenesis by acting as a decoy receptor. The decoy characteristic of VEGFR-1 is required for normal development and angiogenesis. To date, there is no molecular explanation for this unusual characteristic of VEGFR-1. Here we show that the molecular mechanisms underlying the decoy characteristic of VEGFR-1 is linked to the replacement of a highly conserved amino acid residue in the activation loop. This amino acid is highly conserved among all the type III RTKs and corresponds to aspartic acid, but in VEGFR-1 it is substituted to asparagine. Mutation of asparagine (Asn(1050)) within the activation loop to aspartic acid promoted enhanced ligand-dependent tyrosine autophosphorylation and kinase activation in vivo and in vitro. The mutant VEGFR-1 (Asp(1050)) promoted endothelial cell proliferation but not tubulogenesis. It also displayed an oncogenic phenotype as its expression in fibroblast cells elicited transformation and colony growth. Furthermore, mutation of the invariable aspartic acid to asparagine in VEGFR-2 lowered the autophosphorylation of activation loop tyrosines 1052 and 1057. We propose that the conserved aspartic acid in the activation loop favors the transphosphorylation of the activation loop tyrosines, and its absence renders RTK to a less potent enzyme by disfavoring transphosphorylation of activation loop tyrosines.

Vascular endothelial growth factor-mediated angiogenic signal transduction relay is achieved by coordinated induction of endothelial cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation. These complex cellular processes are most likely controlled by activation of both cooperative and antagonistic signals by vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFRs). Here, we investigated the contribution of tyrosine-phosphorylated residues of VEGFR-2/fetal liver kinase-1 to endothelial cell proliferation and differentiation and activation of signaling proteins. Mutation of tyrosine 1006 of VEGFR-2 to phenylalanine severely impaired the ability of this receptor to stimulate endothelial cell differentiation and tubulogenesis. Paradoxically, the mutant receptor stimulated endothelial cell proliferation far better than the wild-type receptor. Further analysis showed that tyrosine 1006 is responsible for phospholipase Cgamma1 (PLCgamma1) activation and intracellular calcium release in endothelial cells. Activation of PLCgamma1 was selectively mediated by tyrosine 1006. Mutation of tyrosines 799, 820, 949, 994, 1080, 1173, and 1221 had no measurable effect on the ability of VEGFR-2 to stimulate PLCgamma1 activation. Association of VEGFR-2 with PLCgamma1 was mainly established between tyrosine 1006 and the C-terminal SH2 domain of PLCgamma1 in vitro and in vivo. Taken together, the results indicate that phosphorylation of tyrosine 1006 is essential for VEGFR-2-mediated PLCgamma1 activation, calcium flux, and cell differentiation. More importantly, VEGFR-2-mediated endothelial cell proliferation is inversely correlated with the ability of VEGFR-2 to associate with and activate PLCgamma1.

Activation of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 and -2 (VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2) plays a critical role in vasculogenesis and angiogenesis. However, the mechanism by which activation of VEGFRs elicits these cellular events is not fully understood. We recently constructed chimeric receptors containing the extracellular domain of human CSF-1R/c-fms fused with the entire transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains of murine VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2. Selective activation of chimeric VEGFR-2, but not chimeric VEGFR-1, stimulated endothelial cell growth, migration, and differentiation. Stimulation of cells coexpressing chimeric VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2 suppressed VEGFR-2-mediated endothelial cell growth. Site-directed mutagenesis demonstrated that tyrosines 799 and 1173 are required for VEGFR-2-mediated endothelial cell growth and activation of PI3 kinase. Further site-directed mutagenesis demonstrated that tyrosine 1212, located in the carboxyl tail of VEGFR-2, is required for the ligand-dependent autophosphorylation of the receptor and its ability to activate signaling proteins. Collectively, our results suggest that activation of VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2 differentially regulates endothelial cell function and angiogenesis. Second, activation of VEGFR-2 is associated with many endothelial cell functions, including cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation. Third, activation of PI3 kinase by VEGFR-2 regulates endothelial cell proliferation.

Oxidative damage to renal tubular epithelial cells is a fundamental pathogenic mechanism implicated in both acute kidney injury and chronic kidney diseases. Because epithelial cell survival influences the outcome of acute kidney injury and chronic kidney diseases, identifying its molecular regulators could provide new insight into pathobiology and possible new therapeutic strategies for these diseases. We have identified transmembrane and immunoglobulin domain-containing 1 (TMIGD1) as a novel adhesion molecule, which is highly conserved in humans and other species. TMIGD1 is expressed in renal tubular epithelial cells and promotes cell survival. The extracellular domain of TMIGD1 contains two putative immunoglobulin domains and mediates self-dimerization. Our data suggest that TMIGD1 regulates transepithelial electric resistance and permeability of renal epithelial cells. TMIGD1 controls cell migration, cell morphology, and protects renal epithelial cells from oxidative- and nutrient-deprivation–induced cell injury. Hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative cell injury downregulates TMIGD1 expression and targets it for ubiquitination. Moreover, TMIGD1 expression is significantly affected in both acute kidney injury and in deoxy-corticosterone acetate and sodium chloride (deoxy-corticosterone acetate salt)-induced chronic hypertensive kidney disease mouse models. Taken together, we have identified TMIGD1 as a novel cell adhesion molecule expressed in kidney epithelial cells that protects kidney epithelial cells from oxidative cell injury to promote cell survival.

Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels from pre-existing vessels, is required for tumor growth and metastasis. Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) is one of the most important receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) among the VEGF receptor subfamily, and activation of VEGFR-2 is essential for tumor angiogenesis. The extracellular domain of VEGFR-2 contains seven immunoglobulin-like (Ig) domains, each with multiple potential N-glycosylation sites. N-glycosylation is thought to play a central role in receptor stability, ligand binding and trafficking. However, to date the occupancy and glycoform distributions at each of the potential N-glycosylation sites and their putative role(s) in VEGFR-2 function remain largely unknown. The objective of this study is to investigate the functional importance of VEGFR-2 N-glycosylation in VEGFR-2 angiogenic signaling. Porcine aortic endothelial (PAE) cells with ectopic expression of VEGFR-2 were treated with PNGase F to remove N-linked glycans or heat-denatured PNGase F as a control. Following PNGase F treatment for 4 hours, cells were treated with VEGF-A ligand for 0, 5, 10 or 30 minutes. VEGFR-2 phosphorylation (activation) was measured via Western blot with an anti-pTyr-1054-VEGFR-2 antibody. In addition, a polyclonal anti-VEGFR2 antibody was used to immunoprecipitate untreated and PNGase F-treated VEGFR-2 from PAE cell lysates. Evaluation of the N-glycosylation sites targeted by PNGase F was carried out by gel electrophoresis, followed by protease digestion and MS/MS analysis. MS/MS data were processed using Proteome Discoverer 1.4. To obtain site-specific glycosylation information we performed proteolysis of VEGFR-2, glycopeptide enrichment via hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) and subsequent analysis of glycopeptides with an Agilent 6550 Quadrupole Time-of-Flight (Q-TOF) MS using collision-induced dissociation. We detected a dramatic increase in ligand-mediated activation of VEGFR-2 after treatment with PNGase F, suggesting that certain N-linked glycans may hinder ligand access to the VEGF binding site, or that removal of N-linked glycans results in conformational changes that lead to increased activation of the receptor by VEGF-A. To explore this observation in greater detail, we have created a series of VEGFR-2 N-glycosylation site mutants, and we are now using the mutants to determine which glycosylation sites are involved in the observed modulation of VEGFR-2 signaling. Citation Format: Kevin B. Chandler, Deborah R. Leon, Rosana D. Meyer, Nader Rahimi, Catherine E. Costello. Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) N-glycosylation modulates angiogenic signaling [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1808. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-1808

HAT HBO1 interacts with 2 isoforms of JADE1: JADE1S and JADE1L. JADE1 promotes acetylation of nucleosomal histones by HBO1. HBO1–JADE1 complex facilitates cell proliferation by unclear mechanisms. Here we report intracellular chromatin shuttling of HBO1–JADE1 complex during mitosis coupled to phosphorylation of JADE1. In interphase of dividing cells JADE1S was localized to the nucleus and associated with chromatin. As cells approached mitosis, specifically prophase, JADE1S dissociated from chromatin and associated with cytoplasm. JADE1S chromatin re-association began in telophase and paralleled nuclear envelope membrane reassembly. By early G1, JADE1S was re-associated with chromatin and localized to the nucleus. Importantly, cytoplasmic but not chromatin-associated JADE1 protein was phosphorylated. Mass-Spectrometric analysis of JADE1S protein isolated from G2/M-arrested cells identified 6 phosphorylated amino acid residues: S89, T92, S102, S121, S392, and T468, including 3 novel sites. Temporally, JADE1S phosphorylation and dephosphorylation during mitosis correlated with JADE1S chromatin dissociation and recruitment. JADE1S chromatin recruitment was accompanied by the global histone H4 acetylation. Pharmacological inhibitor of Aurora A kinase prevented JADE1S protein band shift and chromatin dissociation, suggesting regulatory function for phosphorylation. In vivo experiments supported our in vitro results. In mouse kidneys, JADE1S transiently accumulated in the cytoplasm of tubular epithelial cells during kidney regeneration. The transient increase in the number of cells with cytoplasmic JADE1S directly correlated with activation of tubular cell proliferation and inversely correlated with the number of cells with nuclear JADE1S staining, supporting biological role of HBO1–JADE1 shuttling during organ regeneration.

Activation of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2), an endothelial cell receptor tyrosine kinase, promotes tumor angiogenesis and ocular neovascularization. We report the methylation of VEGFR-2 at multiple Lys and Arg residues, including Lys(1041), a residue that is proximal to the activation loop of the kinase domain. Methylation of VEGFR-2 was independent of ligand binding and was not regulated by ligand stimulation. Methylation of Lys(1041) enhanced tyrosine phosphorylation and kinase activity in response to ligands. Additionally, interfering with the methylation of VEGFR-2 by pharmacological inhibition or by site-directed mutagenesis revealed that methylation of Lys(1041) was required for VEGFR-2-mediated angiogenesis in zebrafish and tumor growth in mice. We propose that methylation of Lys(1041) promotes the activation of VEGFR-2 and that similar posttranslational modification could also regulate the activity of other receptor tyrosine kinases.

Angiogenesis, a hallmark step in tumor metastasis and ocular neovascularization, is driven primarily by the function of VEGF ligand on one of its receptors, VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR-2). Central to the proliferation and ensuing angiogenesis of endothelial cells, the abundance of VEGFR-2 on the surface of endothelial cells is essential for VEGF to recognize and activate VEGFR-2. We have identified phosducin-like 3 (PDCL3, also known as PhLP2A), through a yeast two-hybrid system, as a novel protein involved in the stabilization of VEGFR-2 by serving as a chaperone. PDCL3 binds to the juxtamembrane domain of VEGFR-2 and controls the abundance of VEGFR-2 by inhibiting its ubiquitination and degradation. PDCL3 increases VEGF-induced tyrosine phosphorylation and is required for VEGFR-2-dependent endothelial capillary tube formation and proliferation. Taken together, our data provide strong evidence for the role of PDCL3 in angiogenesis and establishes the molecular mechanism by which it regulates VEGFR-2 expression and function. Background: Angiogenesis is primarily driven by the VEGF-induced activation of VEGFR-2. Results: We have identified PDCL3 as a novel chaperone protein involved in angiogenesis by regulating expression of VEGFR-2. Conclusion: PDCL3 activity is required for angiogenesis. Significance: Targeting PDCL3 represents an attractive therapeutic strategy to block angiogenesis and tumor growth.

The internalization and degradation of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR-2), a potent angiogenic receptor tyrosine kinase, is a central mechanism for the regulation of the coordinated action of VEGF in angiogenesis. Here, we show that VEGFR-2 is ubiquitinated in response to VEGF, and Lys 48-linked polyubiquitination controls its degradation via the 26S proteosome. The degradation and ubiquitination of VEGFR-2 is controlled by its PEST domain, and the phosphorylation of Ser1188/Ser1191 is required for the ubiquitination of VEGFR-2. F-box-containing β-Trcp1 ubiquitin E3 ligase is recruited to S1188/S1191 VEGFR-2 and mediates the ubiquitination and degradation of VEGFR-2. The PEST domain also controls the activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) through phospho-Y1173. The activation of p38 stabilizes VEGFR-2, and its inactivation accelerates VEGFR-2 downregulation. The VEGFR-2-mediated activation of p38 is established through the protein kinase A (PKA)/MKK6 pathway. PKA is recruited to VEGFR-2 through AKAP1/AKAP149, and its phosphorylation requires Y1173 of VEGFR-2. The study has identified a unique mechanism in which VEGFR-2 stability and degradation is modulated. The PEST domain acts as a dual modulator of VEGFR-2; the phosphorylation of S1188/S1191 controls ubiquitination and degradation via β-Trcp1, where the phosphorylation of Y1173 through PKA/p38 MAPK controls the stability of VEGFR-2.

Angiogenesis is regulated by highly coordinated function of various proteins with pro- and anti-angiogenic functions. Among the many cytoplasmic signaling proteins that are activated by VEGFR-2, activation of PLCγ1 is considered to have a pivotal role in angiogenic signaling. In previous study we have identified c-Cbl as a negative regulator of PLCγ1 in endothelial cells, the biochemical and biological significance of c-Cbl, however, in angiogenesis in vivo and molecular mechanisms involved were remained elusive. In this study, we report that genetic inactivation of c-Cbl in mice results in enhanced tumor angiogenesis and retinal neovascularization. Endothelial cells derived from c-Cbl null mice displayed elevated cell proliferation and tube formation in response to VEGF stimulation. Loss of c-Cbl also resulted in robust activation of PLCγ1 and increased intracellular calcium release. c-Cbl-dependent ubiquitination selectively inhibited tyrosine phosphorylation of PLCγ1 and mostly refrained from ubiquitin-mediated degradation. Hence, we propose c-Cbl as an angiogenic suppressor protein where upon activation it uniquely modulates PLCγ1 activation by ubiquitination and subsequently inhibits VEGF-driven angiogenesis.

Activation of phospholipase Cγ1 (PLCγ1) by vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR)-2 is necessary for proliferation and tube formation of endothelial cells in vitro. Previous work has demonstrated that Casitas B-lineage lymphoma (c-Cbl) promotes ubiquitination of PLCγ1 and suppression of its tyrosine phosphorylation. This study was designed to evaluate the importance of PLCγ1 and c-Cbl in experimental choroidal neovascularization (CNV).The role of PLCγ1 was studied in three models of angiogenesis: the endothelial cell culture system, the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay, and the laser-induced CNV model. Endothelial cells were analyzed for the role of PLCγ1 in promoting tube formation. CAMs were incubated with pharmacologic agents that either inhibit or stimulate PLCγ1. CNV was induced in wild-type and c-Cbl-knockout mice, and the progression of CNV was evaluated by fluorescein angiography.Activation of PLCγ1 was necessary for tube formation of endothelial cells. PLCγ1 stimulation increased the growth of blood vessels and conversely, PLCγ1 inhibition decreased the growth of blood vessels in the CAM model. CNV lesions in the c-Cbl-knockout mice were significantly greater in number, more confluent, and increased in size with time, compared with those in the control wild-type mice.The data show that PLCγ1 plays an important role in angiogenesis. Loss of c-Cbl results in enhanced CNV in the eye. The study also shows that c-Cbl plays an important role in ocular angiogenesis, suggesting that modulation of c-Cbl activity or inhibition of PLCγ1 would be a compelling target for antiangiogenesis therapy.

Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1/fms-related tyrosine kinase 1 (VEGFR-1/FLT1) is expressed as a membrane-bound receptor tyrosine kinase and as an alternatively spliced soluble protein (sVEGFR-1) containing the 1-6 IgG-like domain of its ectodomain. sVEGFR-1 is known as a naturally occurring inhibitor of angiogenesis and as a surrogate marker for cancer progression; it is also linked to pregnancy-induced hypertension called preeclampsia and to avascularity of normal cornea. It remains an open question whether alternative mRNA splicing is the only mechanism by which sVEGFR-1 is generated. In this study, we show that in leukemic cancer cells, PlGF and VEGF-A both induce tyrosine phosphorylation of VEGFR-1 and render it susceptible to ectodomain shedding, resulting in the generation of sVEGFR-1 and an intracellular cytoplasmic fragment. Activation of protein kinase C and tumor necrosis factor-α–converting enzyme family metalloproteases are critically required for the occurrence of sVEGFR-1. Following the removal of the ectodomain, the remnant of VEGFR-1 remains attached to the membrane, and the activity of γ-secretase/presenilin is required for its release from the cell membrane. We propose that sVEGFR-1 produced via ectodomain shedding plays a prominent role in the VEGF receptor system by antagonizing VEGF receptor signaling by acting as a dominant-negative form and/or forming a nonsignaling dimerizing complex with VEGF receptors. [Cancer Res 2009;69(6):2607–14]

Activation loop tyrosine autophosphorylation is an essential requirement for full kinase activation of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). However, mechanisms involved are not fully understood. In general, kinase domains of RTKs are folded into two main lobes, NH2- and COOH-terminal lobes. The COOH-terminal lobe of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) is folded into seven alpha-helices (alphaD-alphaI). In the studies presented here we demonstrate that leucine residues of helix I (alphaI) regulate tyrosine autophosphorylation and phosphotransferase activity of VEGFR-2. The presence of leucines 1158, 1161, and 1162 are essential for tyrosine autophosphorylation and kinase activation of VEGFR-2 and are involved in helix-helix packing via hydrophobic interactions. The presence of leucine 1158 is critical for kinase activation of VEGFR-2 and appears to interact with alphaE, alphaF, alphaH, and beta7. The analogous residue, leucine 957 on platelet-derived growth factor receptor-beta and leucine 910 on colony stimulating factor-1R are also found to be critical for tyrosine autophosphorylation of these receptors. Leucines 1161 and 1162 are also involved in helix-helix packing but they play a less critical role in VEGFR-2 activation. Thus, we conclude that leucine motif-mediated helix-helix interactions are critical for kinase regulation of type III RTKs. This mechanism is likely to be shared with other kinases and might provide a basis for the design of a novel class of tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2/Flk-1) is a receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) whose activation regulates angiogenesis. The regulatory mechanisms that attenuate VEGFR-2 signal relay are largely unknown. Our study shows that VEGFR-2 promotes phosphorylation of c-Cbl, but activation, ubiquitylation, and down-regulation of VEGFR-2 are not influenced by c-Cbl activity. A structure-function analysis of VEGFR-2 and pharmacological approach revealed that down-regulation of VEGFR-2 is mediated by a distinct mechanism involving PKC. A tyrosine mutant VEGFR-2, defective in PLC-γ1 activation underwent down-regulation efficiently in response to ligand stimulation, suggesting that activation of classical PKCs are not involved in VEGFR-2 down-regulation. Further studies showed that the ectodomain of VEGFR-2 is dispensable for PKC-dependent down-regulation. Progressive deletion of the carboxyl-terminal domain showed that at least 39 amino acids within the carboxyl-terminal domain, immediately C-terminal to the kinase domain, is required for efficient PKC-mediated down-regulation of VEGFR-2. Mutation of serine sites at 1188 and 1191, within this 39 amino acid region, compromised the ability of VEGFR-2 to undergo efficient ligand-dependent down-regulation. Altogether the results show that the regulatory mechanisms involved in the attenuation of VEGFR-2 activation is mediated by nonclassical PKCs and the presence of serine sites in the carboxyl terminal of VEGFR-2.

VEGFR-1 is devoid of ligand-dependent tyrosine autophosphorylation and its activation is not associated with proliferation of endothelial cells. The molecular mechanism responsible for this characteristic of VEGFR-1 is not known. In this study, we show that VEGFR-1 is devoid of ligand-dependent downregulation and failed to stimulate intracellular calcium release, cell migration and angiogenesis in vitro. To understand the molecular mechanisms responsible for the poor tyrosine autophosphorylation of VEGFR-1, we have either deleted the carboxyl terminus of VEGFR-1 or exchanged it with the carboxyl terminus of VEGFR-2. The deletion of carboxyl terminus of VEGFR-1 did not reverse its defective ligand-dependent autophosphorylation. The carboxyl terminus-swapped VEGFR-1, however, displayed ligand-dependent autophosphorylation, downregulation and also conveyed strong mitogenic responses. Thus, the carboxyl tail of VEGFR-1 restrains the ligand-dependent kinase activation and downregulation of VEGFR-1 and its ability to convey the angiogenic responses in endothelial cells.

Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2/FLK-1) is a receptor tyrosine kinase whose activation stimulates angiogenesis. We recently generated a chimeric VEGFR-2 in which the extracellular domain of VEGFR-2 was replaced with the extracellular domain of human colony stimulating factor-1 receptor and expressed in endothelial cells. To study the contribution of the carboxyl terminus to activation of VEGFR-2, we created a panel of truncated receptors in which the carboxyl terminus of VEGFR-2 was progressively deleted. Removal of the entire carboxyl terminus eliminated activation of VEGFR-2, its ability to activate signaling proteins, and its ability to stimulate cell proliferation. The carboxyl terminus-deleted VEGFR-2 exhibited impaired ligand-dependent down-regulation and inhibited the activation of wild-type receptor in a dominant-negative fashion. Furthermore, introducing the carboxyl terminus of another receptor, i.e., VEGFR-1, restored the ligand-dependent activation of the carboxyl terminus-deleted VEGFR-2 and its ability to stimulate cell proliferation. Our findings suggest that the carboxyl terminus of VEGFR-2 plays a critical role in VEGFR-2 activation, its ability to activate signaling proteins, and its ability to induce biological responses. The presence of at least 57 amino acids at the carboxyl terminus of VEGFR-2 are required for VEGFR-2 activation. Thus, we propose that the carboxyl terminus is required for activation of VEGFR-2, and absence of the carboxyl terminus renders VEGFR-2 inactive.

Activation of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) plays a critical role in vasculogenesis and angiogenesis. However, the mechanism by which VEGFR-2 activation elicits these cellular events is not fully understood. We recently constructed a chimeric receptor containing the extracellular domain of human CSF-1R/c-fms, fused with the entire transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains of murine VEGFR-2 (Rahimi, N., Dayanir, V., and Lashkari, K. (2000) J. Biol. Chem. 275, 16986-16992). In this study we used VEGFR-2 chimera (herein named CKR) to elucidate the signal transduction relay of VEGFR-2 in porcine aortic endothelial (PAE) cells. Mutation of tyrosines 799 and 1173 individually on CKR resulted in partial loss of CKR's ability to stimulate cell growth. Double mutation of these sites caused total loss of CKR's ability to stimulate cell growth. Interestingly, mutation of these sites had no effect on the ability of CKR to stimulate cell migration. Further analysis revealed that tyrosines 799 and 1173 are docking sites for p85 of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K). Pretreatment of cells with wortmannin, an inhibitor of PI3K, and rapamycin, a potent inhibitor of S6 kinase, abrogated CKR-mediated cell growth. However, expression of a dominant negative form of ras (N(17)ras) and inhibition of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway by PD98059 did not attenuate CKR-stimulated cell growth. Altogether, these results demonstrate that activation of VEGFR-2 results in activation of PI3K and that activation of PI3K/S6kinase pathway, but not Ras/MAPK, is responsible for VEGFR-2-mediated cell growth.

Sex differences in liver gene expression are dictated by sex differences in circulating GH profiles. Presently, the pituitary hormone dependence of mouse liver gene expression was investigated on a global scale to discover sex-specific early GH response genes that could contribute to sex-specific regulation of downstream GH targets and to ascertain whether intrinsic sex differences characterize hepatic responses to plasma GH stimulation. Global RNA expression analysis identified two distinct classes of sex-specific mouse liver genes: genes subject to positive regulation (class I) and genes subject to negative regulation by pituitary hormones (class II). Genes activated or repressed in hypophysectomized (Hypox) mouse liver within 30-90 min of GH pulse treatment at a physiological dose were identified as putative direct targets of GH action (early response genes). Intrinsic sex differences in the GH responsiveness of a subset of these early response genes were observed. Notably, 45 male-specific genes, including five encoding transcriptional regulators that may mediate downstream sex-specific transcriptional responses, were induced by GH within 30 min in Hypox male but not Hypox female mouse liver. The early GH response genes were enriched in 29 male-specific targets of the transcription factor myocyte enhancer factor 2, whose activation in hepatic stellate cells is associated with liver fibrosis leading to hepatocellular carcinoma, a male-predominant disease. Thus, the rapid activation by GH pulses of certain sex-specific genes is modulated by intrinsic sex-specific factors, which may be associated with prior hormone exposure (epigenetic mechanisms) or genetic factors that are pituitary-independent, and could contribute to sex differences in predisposition to liver cancer or other hepatic patho-physiologies.