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Apelin is a regulator of both angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis.
Author(s) -
Krieg Paul Anthony,
Cox Christopher M.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.21.5.a82-c
Subject(s) - apelin , lymphangiogenesis , angiogenesis , chorioallantoic membrane , regulator , microbiology and biotechnology , receptor , vascular endothelial growth factor c , biology , medicine , lymphatic system , endocrinology , vascular endothelial growth factor , chemistry , vascular endothelial growth factor a , cancer research , immunology , biochemistry , vegf receptors , cancer , gene , metastasis
The peptide growth factor apelin is the high affinity ligand for the G‐protein coupled receptor, APJ. During embryonic development of mouse, chicken and frog, the APJ receptor is expressed at high levels in endothelial precursor cells and in nascent vascular structures. The ligand, apelin, is also expressed in, or immediately adjacent to, a subset of the developing vascular structures, particularly the inter‐segmental vessels. Experimental inhibition of either apelin or APJ expression in frog embryos results in elimination or disruption of intersegmental vessels in a majority of cases. In gain of function experiments, apelin peptide is a potent angiogenic factor when tested using the frog embryo and the chicken chorioallantoic membrane (CAM). Experiments using the chick CAM also show that apelin stimulates the growth and branching of lymphatic vessels. Taken together, these studies indicate that apelin has properties consistent with a role during normal and pathological angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis.