EphB ligand, ephrinB2, suppresses the VEGF- and angiopoietin 1-induced Ras/mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway in venous endothelial cells

FASEB J. 2002 Jul;16(9):1126-8. doi: 10.1096/fj.01-0805fje. Epub 2002 May 21.

Abstract

Interaction between ephrinB2 and EphB4 in endothelial cells at the arterial-venous capillary interface is critical for proper embryonic capillary morphogenesis. However, the intracellular downstream signaling of ephrinB2-EphB in vascular endothelial cells is unknown. This study examined the effect of ephrinB2-induced activation of EphB kinases on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)- and angiopoietin-1 (Ang1)-induced Ras/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling cascades in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Reverse transcriptase-polymer chain reaction results showed that HUVECs expressed three kinds of EphB kinases known to bind to ephrinB2: EphB2, EphB3, and EphB4. EphrinB2 not only increased the phosphorylation of EphB2 and EphB4 in a time-dependent manner but also increased recruitment of p120-Ras-GTPase-activating protein (p120-RasGAP) to EphB2 and EphB4. Accordingly, ephrinB2 inhibited VEGF- and Ang1-induced Ras-MAPK activities, whereas ephrinB2 did not alter VEGF-induced Flk phosphorylation or Ang1-induced Tie2 phosphorylation. Furthermore, ephrinB2 suppressed VEGF- and Ang1-induced proliferation and/or migration, which are mediated mainly through Ras/MAPK signaling cascades. From these results, we propose that ephrinB2-EphB, signaling through Ras/MAPK cascade, may be critical for proper morphogenesis of capillary endothelium through the arrest of endothelial cell proliferation and migration at the arterial-venous interface.

MeSH terms

  • Angiopoietin-1
  • Cell Division / drug effects
  • Cell Movement / drug effects
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Endothelial Growth Factors / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Endothelium, Vascular / drug effects
  • Endothelium, Vascular / metabolism*
  • Endothelium, Vascular / physiology
  • Ephrin-B2
  • Humans
  • Ligands
  • Lymphokines / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • MAP Kinase Signaling System / drug effects
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Membrane Proteins / pharmacology*
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / metabolism*
  • Models, Biological
  • Phosphorylation
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras) / metabolism*
  • Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / metabolism
  • Receptor, EphB2
  • Receptor, EphB4
  • Receptors, Eph Family
  • Umbilical Veins / cytology
  • Umbilical Veins / physiology
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
  • p120 GTPase Activating Protein / metabolism

Substances

  • ANGPT1 protein, human
  • Angiopoietin-1
  • Endothelial Growth Factors
  • Ephrin-B2
  • Ligands
  • Lymphokines
  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
  • p120 GTPase Activating Protein
  • Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
  • Receptor, EphB2
  • Receptor, EphB4
  • Receptors, Eph Family
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
  • HRAS protein, human
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)