Article

CCN2/connective tissue growth factor is essential for pericyte adhesion and endothelial basement membrane formation during angiogenesis.

Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America.
PLoS ONE (impact factor: 4.09). 01/2012; 7(2):e30562. DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0030562 pp.e30562
Source: PubMed

ABSTRACT CCN2/Connective Tissue Growth Factor (CTGF) is a matricellular protein that regulates cell adhesion, migration, and survival. CCN2 is best known for its ability to promote fibrosis by mediating the ability of transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) to induce excess extracellular matrix production. In addition to its role in pathological processes, CCN2 is required for chondrogenesis. CCN2 is also highly expressed during development in endothelial cells, suggesting a role in angiogenesis. The potential role of CCN2 in angiogenesis is unclear, however, as both pro- and anti-angiogenic effects have been reported. Here, through analysis of Ccn2-deficient mice, we show that CCN2 is required for stable association and retention of pericytes by endothelial cells. PDGF signaling and the establishment of the endothelial basement membrane are required for pericytes recruitment and retention. CCN2 induced PDGF-B expression in endothelial cells, and potentiated PDGF-B-mediated Akt signaling in mural (vascular smooth muscle/pericyte) cells. In addition, CCN2 induced the production of endothelial basement membrane components in vitro, and was required for their expression in vivo. Overall, these results highlight CCN2 as an essential mediator of vascular remodeling by regulating endothelial-pericyte interactions. Although most studies of CCN2 function have focused on effects of CCN2 overexpression on the interstitial extracellular matrix, the results presented here show that CCN2 is required for the normal production of vascular basement membranes.

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Keywords

anti-angiogenic effects
 
CCN2 induced PDGF-B expression
 
CCN2 overexpression
 
Ccn2-deficient mice
 
CCN2/Connective Tissue Growth Factor
 
endothelial basement membrane
 
endothelial basement membrane components
 
endothelial cells
 
essential mediator
 
growth factor β
 
induce excess extracellular matrix production
 
interstitial extracellular matrix
 
matricellular protein
 
pathological processes
 
PDGF signaling
 
potentiated PDGF-B-mediated Akt signaling
 
regulates cell adhesion
 
regulating endothelial-pericyte interactions
 
stable association
 
vascular basement membranes