Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, 900 South Ashland Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60607-7170, USA,
J Cell Commun Signal. 2012 Aug;6(3):121-3. doi: 10.1007/s12079-012-0169-z. Epub 2012 Jul 26.
CCN2/connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is a matricellular protein essential for skeletal development during embryogenesis. In adulthood, aberrant CCN2 expression is associated with many malignancies and fibrosis of virtually every organ. Despite its prominent expression in endothelial cells in the vasculature, the role of CCN2 in vessel development was unknown. In a recent study, Hall-Glenn et al. (PLoS ONE 7:e30562) have revealed the role of CCN2 in developmental angiogenesis through a detailed analysis of how CCN2 mediates the interaction between vascular endothelial cells and pericytes. In addition, CCN2 also regulates endothelial basement membrane formation during vessel formation. Here I compare the angiogenic activities of CCN2 during embryogenesis to those of its homologous family member CCN1 (CYR61), which is essential for cardiovascular development. Understanding the angiogenic actions of CCN1 and CCN2 may have implication in the development of therapeutic strategies targeting these proteins for the treatment of diseases such as cancer and fibrosis.
CCN2/结缔组织生长因子（CTGF）是胚胎发生过程中骨骼发育所必需的基质细胞蛋白。在成年期，异常的 CCN2 表达与许多恶性肿瘤和几乎所有器官的纤维化有关。尽管 CCN2 在脉管系统的内皮细胞中表达明显，但 CCN2 在血管发育中的作用尚不清楚。在最近的一项研究中，Hall-Glenn 等人（PLoS ONE 7:e30562）通过详细分析 CCN2 如何介导血管内皮细胞和周细胞之间的相互作用，揭示了 CCN2 在发育性血管生成中的作用。此外，CCN2 还调节血管形成过程中内皮基底膜的形成。在这里，我将胚胎发生过程中 CCN2 的血管生成活性与同源家族成员 CCN1（CYR61）进行比较，CCN1 对于心血管发育是必需的。了解 CCN1 和 CCN2 的血管生成作用可能对开发针对这些蛋白质的治疗策略具有重要意义，这些策略可用于治疗癌症和纤维化等疾病。
