Zeb1 promotes corneal neovascularization by regulation of vascular endothelial cell proliferation.
Lei JinYingnan ZhangWei LiangXiaoqin LuNiloofar PiriWei WangHenry J KaplanDouglas C DeanLijun ZhangYongqing LiuPublished in: Communications biology (2020)
Angiogenesis is required for tissue repair; but abnormal angiogenesis or neovascularization (NV) causes diseases in the eye. The avascular status in the cornea is a prerequisite for corneal clarity and thought to be maintained by the equilibrium between proangiogenic and antiangiogenic factors that controls proliferation and migration of vascular endothelial cells (ECs) sprouting from the pericorneal plexus. VEGF is the most important intrinsic factor for angiogenesis; anti-VEGF therapies are available for treating ocular NV. However, the effectiveness of the therapies is limited because of VEGF-independent mechanism(s). We show that Zeb1 is an important factor promoting vascular EC proliferation and corneal NV; and a couple of small molecule inhibitors can evict Ctbp from the Zeb1-Ctbp complex, thereby reducing EC Zeb1 expression, proliferation, and corneal NV. We conclude that Zeb1-regulation of angiogenesis is independent of Vegf and that the ZEB1-CtBP inhibitors can be of potential therapeutic significance in treating corneal NV.
Keyphrases
- endothelial cells
- vascular endothelial growth factor
- epithelial mesenchymal transition
- long non coding rna
- wound healing
- optical coherence tomography
- signaling pathway
- small molecule
- high glucose
- poor prognosis
- cell proliferation
- cataract surgery
- randomized controlled trial
- systematic review
- molecular dynamics
- ultrasound guided
- cell cycle
- binding protein
- molecular dynamics simulations