期刊名称:Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
印刷版ISSN:0027-8424
电子版ISSN:1091-6490
出版年度:2004
卷号:101
期号:15
页码:5553-5558
DOI:10.1073/pnas.0307575101
语种:English
出版社:The National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
摘要:Radiation therapy is a widely used cancer treatment, but it causes side effects even when localized radiotherapy is used. Extensive apoptosis of microvascular endothelial cells of the lamina propria is the primary lesion initiating intestinal radiation damage after abdominal radiation therapy. Many in vitro studies suggest that angiopoietin-1 (Ang1) has potential therapeutic applications in enhancing endothelial cell survival. For in vivo use, we developed a soluble, stable, and potent Ang1 variant, COMP-Ang1. COMP-Ang1 is more potent than native Ang1 in phosphorylating the Tie2 receptor in lung endothelial cells in vivo. Interestingly, COMP-Ang1 administered i.v. was mainly localized to microvascular endothelial cells of the intestinal villi and lung but not to microvascular endothelial cells of the liver. In irradiated mice, i.v. COMP-Ang1 protected against radiation-induced apoptosis in microcapillary endothelial cells of the intestinal villi and prolonged survival. Thus, COMP-Ang1 could be used as a therapeutic protein for specific protection against endothelial cell injury.