Aminopeptidase A is a functional target in angiogenic blood vessels. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • We show that a membrane-associated protease, aminopeptidase A (APA), is upregulated and enzymatically active in blood vessels of human tumors. To gain mechanistic insight, we evaluated angiogenesis in APA null mice. We found that, although these mice develop normally, they fail to mount the expected angiogenic response to hypoxia or growth factors. We then isolated peptide inhibitors of APA from a peptide library and show that they specifically bind to and inhibit APA, suppress migration and proliferation of endothelial cells, inhibit angiogenesis, and home to tumor blood vessels. Finally, we successfully treated tumor-bearing mice with APA binding peptides or anti-APA blocking monoclonal antibodies. These data show that APA is a regulator of blood vessel formation, and can serve as a functional vascular target.

publication date

  • February 1, 2004

Research

keywords

  • Endothelial Cells
  • Glutamyl Aminopeptidase

Identity

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 10744220098

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1016/s1535-6108(04)00025-x

PubMed ID

  • 14998491

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 5

issue

  • 2