Open AccessNeurons produce FGF2 and VEGF and secrete them at least in part by shedding extracellular vesicles
Author(s) -
Schiera Gabriella,
Proia Patrizia,
Alberti Chiara,
Mineo Marco,
Savettieri Giovanni,
Di Liegro Italia
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of cellular and molecular medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.44
H-Index - 130
eISSN - 1582-4934
pISSN - 1582-1838
DOI - 10.1111/j.1582-4934.2007.00100.x
Subject(s) - extracellular , microbiology and biotechnology , vesicle , fibroblast growth factor , biology , secretion , intracellular , growth factor , extracellular vesicles , endothelial stem cell , basic fibroblast growth factor , chemistry , in vitro , biochemistry , membrane , receptor
We previously found that neurons are able to affect the ability of brain capillary endothelial cells to form in vitro a monolayer with properties resembling the blood‐brain barrier. We then looked, by immunofluorescence and western analysis, for factors, produced by neurons, with the potential to influence growth and differentiation of endothelial cells. In the present paper, we report that neurons produce both vascular endothelial growth factor and fibroblast growth factor 2, two well‐known angiogenic factors. More interestingly, we gained evidence that both factors are released by neurons, at least in part, by shedding of extracellular vesicles, that contain β1 integrin, a membrane protein already known to be part of extracellular vesicles released by tumour cells. Shedding of extracellular vesicles by neurons was also confirmed by scanner electron microscopy.