Nikolic Iva, Plate Karl-Heinz, Schmidt Mirko H H
Institute of Neurology (Edinger Institute), Johann Wolfgang Goethe University School of Medicine, Heinrich-Hoffmann-Str, 7, Frankfurt am Main, D-60528, Germany.
J Angiogenes Res. 2010 Jun 8;2(1):9. doi: 10.1186/2040-2384-2-9.
Blood vessels form de novo through the tightly regulated programs of vasculogenesis and angiogenesis. Both processes are distinct but one of the steps they share is the formation of a central lumen, when groups of cells organized as vascular cords undergo complex changes to achieve a tube-like morphology. Recently, a protein termed epidermal growth factor-like domain 7 (EGFL7) was described as a novel endothelial cell-derived factor involved in the regulation of the spatial arrangement of cells during vascular tube assembly. With its impact on tubulogenesis and vessel shape EGFL7 joined the large family of molecules governing blood vessel formation. Only recently, the molecular mechanisms underlying EGFL7's effects have been started to be elucidated and shaping of the extracellular matrix (ECM) as well as Notch signaling might very well play a role in mediating its biological effects. Further, findings in knock-out animal models suggest miR-126, a miRNA located within the egfl7 gene, has a major role in vessel development by promoting VEGF signaling, angiogenesis and vascular integrity. This review summarizes our current knowledge on EGFL7 and miR-126 and we will discuss the implications of both bioactive molecules for the formation of blood vessels.
血管通过血管生成和血管新生这两个严格调控的程序从头形成。这两个过程虽不同，但它们共有的一个步骤是中央管腔的形成，即当组织成血管索的细胞群经历复杂变化以形成管状形态时。最近，一种名为表皮生长因子样结构域7（EGFL7）的蛋白质被描述为一种新型的内皮细胞衍生因子，参与血管管组装过程中细胞空间排列的调节。由于其对管形成和血管形状的影响，EGFL7加入了控制血管形成的大家族分子。直到最近，EGFL7作用的分子机制才开始被阐明，细胞外基质（ECM）的形成以及Notch信号传导很可能在介导其生物学效应中发挥作用。此外，基因敲除动物模型的研究结果表明，位于egfl7基因内的miR-126通过促进VEGF信号传导、血管新生和血管完整性在血管发育中起主要作用。本综述总结了我们目前对EGFL7和miR-126的认识，并将讨论这两种生物活性分子对血管形成的影响。
