Unlabelled

Vascular endothelial growth factor A (referred to as VEGF) is implicated in colon cancer growth. Currently, the main accepted mechanism by which VEGF promotes colon cancer growth is via the stimulation of angiogenesis, which was originally postulated by late Judah Folkman. However, the cellular source of VEGF in colon cancer tissue; and, the expression of VEGF and its receptors VEGF-R1 and VEGF-R2 in colon cancer cells are not fully known and are subjects of controversy.

Material and methods

We examined and quantified expression of VEGF, VEGF-R1 and VEGF-R2 in three different human colonic tissue arrays containing sections of adenocarcinoma (n=43) and normal mucosa (n = 41). In human colon cancer cell lines HCT116 and HT29 and normal colon cell lines NCM356 and NCM460, we examined expression of VEGF, VEGF-R1 and VEGF-R2 mRNA and protein, VEGF production and secretion into the culture medium; and, the effect of a potent, selective inhibitor of VEGF receptors, AL-993, on cell proliferation.

Results

Human colorectal cancer specimens had strong expression of VEGF in cancer cells and also expressed VEGF-R1 and VEGF-R2.In vitro studies showed that human colon cancer cell lines, HCT116 and HT29, but not normal colonic cell lines, express VEGF, VEGF-R1 and VEGF-R2 and secrete VEGF into the medium up to a concentration 2000 pg/ml within 48 h. Furthermore, we showed that inhibition of VEGF receptors using a specific VEGF-R inhibitor significantly reduced proliferation (by >50%) of cultured colon cancer cell lines.

Conclusions

Our findings support the contention that VEGF generated by colon cancer cells stimulates their growth directly through an autocrine mechanism that is independent of its primary function in the induction of angiogenesis.

SummaryWe previously demonstrated that the anti-apoptosis protein, survivin, plays a protective role against alcohol-induced gastric injury. Since the endothelium is a primary target of alcohol-induced gastric damage, we investigated whether survivin expression is a key factor in the greater susceptibility of gastric endothelial vs. epithelial cells to alcohol-induced injury. Here, we demonstrate that rat gastric epithelial cells (RGM1 cells, an epithelial cell line derived from normal rat gastric mucosa) expressed 7.5-fold greater survivin protein levels vs. rat gastric endothelial cells. Survivin expression correlated with resistance of gastric epithelial vs. endothelial cells to both alcohol-induced cell damage and alcohol-induced apoptosis. Suppression of survivin protein expression levels using siRNA rendered the gastric epithelial cells as susceptible to both alcohol-induced cell damage and apoptosis as the gastric endothelial cells. Conversely, forced overexpression of survivin by transient transfection rendered gastric endothelial cells as resistant to both alcohol-induced cell damage and apoptosis as mock-transfected gastric epithelial cells. Moreover, overexpression of a threonine-34 to glutamate phosphorylation mimic mutant survivin construct rendered gastric endothelial cells significantly more resistant to alcohol-induced damage and apoptosis vs. mock-transfected gastric epithelial cells. These findings indicate that disparate survivin expression levels can explain the discrepancy between gastric epithelial and endothelial cell susceptibility to alcohol-induced injury; and, that a negative charge at amino acid residue 34 on survivin, such as that which naturally occurs by phosphorylation of threonine-34, enhances its property in conferring gastric mucosal protection.

Background & aims

Aging gastric mucosa has increased susceptibility to injury and delayed healing owing to impaired angiogenesis, but the mechanisms are not fully known. We examined whether impairment of angiogenesis in aging gastric mucosa is caused by deficiency of nerve growth factor (NGF) in gastric endothelial cells (ECs), and whether NGF therapy could reverse this impairment.

Methods

In gastric mucosal ECs (GECs) isolated from young and aging rats we examined the following: (1) in vitro angiogenesis, (2) NGF expression, and (3) the effect of NGF treatment on angiogenesis, GEC proliferation and migration, and dependence on serum response factor. In in vivo studies in young and aging rats, we examined NGF expression in gastric mucosa and the effect of NGF treatment on angiogenesis and gastric ulcer healing. To determine human relevance, we examined NGF expression in gastric mucosal biopsy specimens of aging (≥70 y) and young (≤40 y) individuals.

Results

In cultured aging GECs, NGF expression and angiogenesis were reduced significantly by 3.0-fold and 4.1-fold vs young GECs. NGF therapy reversed impairment of angiogenesis in aging GECs, and serum response factor silencing completely abolished this response. In gastric mucosa of aging rats, NGF expression in GECs was reduced significantly vs young rats. In aging rats, local NGF treatment significantly increased angiogenesis and accelerated gastric ulcer healing. In aging human subjects, NGF expression in ECs of gastric mucosal vessels was 5.5-fold reduced vs young individuals.

Conclusions

NGF deficiency in ECs is a key mechanism underlying impaired angiogenesis and delayed ulcer healing in aging gastric mucosa. Local NGF therapy can reverse these impairments.