Faculty Collaboration Database

Differential conversion of plasminogen to angiostatin by human corneal cell populations. Mol Vis 2005 Oct 20;11:859-68

Date

11/05/2005

Pubmed ID

16270025

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-27744555301 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   10 Citations

Abstract

PURPOSE: Maintenance of avascularity of the normal cornea and control of neovascularization during wound healing depend on a balance of angiogenic and antiangiogenic factors. The purpose of this paper is to determine the ability of corneal cells to convert plasminogen to angiostatins and to compare these products with those made by intact corneas.

METHODS: RT-PCR was performed using plasminogen specific primers and the generated cDNA was sequenced. The proteins in corneal extracts, cornea conditioned medium, and medium from corneal epithelial cells, stromal fibroblasts, and myofibroblasts incubated with plasminogen were separated by SDS-PAGE and electroblotted. Western blots used monoclonal antibodies to kringles 1-3 to detect plasminogen and angiostatins. Angiostatins were isolated and tested for activity in a vascular endothelial cell proliferation inhibition assay.

RESULTS: Plasminogen, its mRNA and angiostatins were found in human corneal tissue extracts from the epithelial, stromal, and endothelial layers and from cornea conditioned medium, but not in medium from cultured epithelial cells, stromal fibroblasts, or myofibroblasts. However, cultures of corneal epithelial cells and stromal fibroblasts were able to convert exogenously added plasminogen to angiostatins, whereas cultured myofibroblasts did not. Angiostatins of 38 and 34 kDa were found under all angiostatin generating conditions; however other angiostatins differed in size. Further, the angiostatins isolated from fibroblast culture supernatants inhibited vascular endothelial cell proliferation.

CONCLUSIONS: Conversion of plasminogen to angiostatin is cell-type dependent. Because corneal cells generate angiostatins, use of human angiostatins may be a means of treating abnormal corneal neovascularization without the risk of side effects.

Author List

Warejcka DJ, Vaughan KA, Bernstein AM, Twining SS

Author

Sally S. Twining PhD Assistant Dean, Professor in the Biochemistry department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Angiostatins
Blotting, Western
Cell Culture Techniques
Cell Proliferation
Corneal Stroma
Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel
Endothelium, Vascular
Epithelium, Corneal
Fibroblasts
Humans
Organ Culture Techniques
Plasminogen
RNA, Messenger
Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction