Neovascular diseases of the eye are the leading causes of vision impairment in developed nations. The collective evidence suggests that the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family is critical for ocular angiogensis. Of the VEGF receptors it has long been considered that VEGFR2 is the major effector of ocular neovascularization while the contribution of VEGFR1 has only recently been recognized. Our data support a critical role for VEGFR1 in the regulation of VEGFR-2 induced angiogenesis and show that this is dependent on ?-secretase regulated cleavage and intracellular translocation of VEGFR1 (Cai et al 2002;2006). We can show that ?-secretase is a potent regulator of vascular permeability and angiogenesis both in vitro and in vivo and that this effect is dependent on the targeted translocation of the C-terminal domain of VEGFR1 and its association with ?-catenin and transcription factor Ets-1 respectively. Based on these observations we put forward the following hypothesis:""""""""VEGFR2 driven neovascularization is negatively regulated by the translocation of the intracellular domain of VEGFR1 and that the mobilization, recruitment and binding of ?-secretase to VEGFR1 is critical to this process. We further postulate that the intracellular domain of VEGFR1 regulates vascular permeability through binding to ?-catenin. We believe that manipulation of the ?-secretase complex and/or VEGFR1 in vivo will reduce vascular permeability and inhibit aberrant retinal neovascularization."""""""" Using cultured retinal and choroidal microvascular cells, and where appropriate COS cells, we will a) determine the molecular mechanisms involved in ?-secretase assembly and activation in the plasma membrane and identify the binding and cleavage sites in VEGFR1, b) characterize how ?-secretase phosphorylates the intracellular domain of VEGFR-1 and how this contributes to VEGFR-1 translocation and signaling, c) use fusion proteins consisting of fluorescently labeled VEGR1 in combination with real time imaging to characterize the translocation and intracellular localization of VEGFR-1 following changes in ?-secretase activity, d) use siRNA studies to identify the steps in ?-secretase formation and activation that regulate permeability and angiogenesis in cultured retinal and choriodal microvascular endothelial cells and e) characterize the role of ?-secretase in regulating the binding of VEGFR1 to junctional proteins. We will substantiate the effects of ?-secretase on in vitro permeability and angiogenesis using three animal models of retinal neovascularization (i.e. oxygen-induced retinopathy model, ADCaS model of retinal neovascularization and the laser-induced choroidal neovascularization model) in conjunction with agents that regulate specific ?-secretase subunits to evaluate their contribution. We believe that characterization of the interaction between the ?-secretase complex and VEGFR1, and the subsequent angiogenic response will identify new strategies for regulating vascular permeability and inhibiting aberrant retinal neovascularization in vivo.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Eye Institute (NEI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
3R01EY018358-04S1
Application #
7917776
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-CB-G (90))
Program Officer
Shen, Grace L
Project Start
2009-09-01
Project End
2011-08-31
Budget Start
2009-09-01
Budget End
2011-08-31
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2009
Total Cost
$383,257
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Florida
Department
Anatomy/Cell Biology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
969663814
City
Gainesville
State
FL
Country
United States
Zip Code
32611
Sulaiman, Rania S; Park, Bomina; Sheik Pran Babu, Sardar Pasha et al. (2018) Chemical Proteomics Reveals Soluble Epoxide Hydrolase as a Therapeutic Target for Ocular Neovascularization. ACS Chem Biol 13:45-52
Basavarajappa, Halesha D; Sulaiman, Rania S; Qi, Xiaoping et al. (2017) Ferrochelatase is a therapeutic target for ocular neovascularization. EMBO Mol Med 9:786-801
Sulaiman, Rania S; Merrigan, Stephanie; Quigley, Judith et al. (2016) A novel small molecule ameliorates ocular neovascularisation and synergises with anti-VEGF therapy. Sci Rep 6:25509
Qian, Qingwen; Mitter, Sayak K; Pay, S Louise et al. (2016) A Non-Canonical Role for ?-Secretase in the Retina. Adv Exp Med Biol 854:333-9
Beli, Eleni; Dominguez 2nd, James M; Hu, Ping et al. (2016) CX3CR1 deficiency accelerates the development of retinopathy in a rodent model of type 1 diabetes. J Mol Med (Berl) 94:1255-1265
Dominguez 2nd, James M; Hu, Ping; Caballero, Sergio et al. (2016) Adeno-Associated Virus Overexpression of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme-2 Reverses Diabetic Retinopathy in Type 1 Diabetes in Mice. Am J Pathol 186:1688-700
Sulaiman, Rania S; Quigley, Judith; Qi, Xiaoping et al. (2015) A Simple Optical Coherence Tomography Quantification Method for Choroidal Neovascularization. J Ocul Pharmacol Ther 31:447-54
Lipinski, Daniel M; Reid, Chris A; Boye, Sanford L et al. (2015) Systemic Vascular Transduction by Capsid Mutant Adeno-Associated Virus After Intravenous Injection. Hum Gene Ther 26:767-76
Hu, Ping; Thinschmidt, Jeffrey S; Caballero, Sergio et al. (2015) Loss of survival factors and activation of inflammatory cascades in brain sympathetic centers in type 1 diabetic mice. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 308:E688-98
Jarajapu, Yagna P R; Hazra, Sugata; Segal, Mark et al. (2014) Vasoreparative dysfunction of CD34+ cells in diabetic individuals involves hypoxic desensitization and impaired autocrine/paracrine mechanisms. PLoS One 9:e93965

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