Thymosin β4 stimulates directional migration of human umbilical vein endothelial cells

KM Malinda, AL Goldstein, HK Kueinman - The FASEB journal, 1997 - Wiley Online Library
KM Malinda, AL Goldstein, HK Kueinman
The FASEB journal, 1997Wiley Online Library
Thymosin β4 (Tβ4) is a 4.9 kDa polypeptide that interacts with G‐actin and is thought to be
an important mediator in cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation. Tβ4 has been
identified as a factor involved in the differentiation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells
(HUVECs) cultured on Matrigel. Here we have used various in vitro and in vivo migration
assays to demonstrate the role of Tβ4 in endothelial cell migration. Our results demonstrate
that Tβ4 acts as a chemoattractant for endothelial cells, stimulating the migration of HUVECs …
Thymosin β4 (Tβ4) is a 4.9 kDa polypeptide that interacts with G‐actin and is thought to be an important mediator in cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation. Tβ4 has been identified as a factor involved in the differentiation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) cultured on Matrigel. Here we have used various in vitro and in vivo migration assays to demonstrate the role of Tβ4 in endothelial cell migration. Our results demonstrate that Tβ4 acts as a chemoattractant for endothelial cells, stimulating the migration of HUVECs in Boyden chambers four‐ to sixfold over that observed with media alone. Of the primary cell types tested, only human coronary artery cells responded to Tβ4 treatment, suggesting that the migration activity of Tβ4 was endothelial cell‐specific. Tβ4 significantly accelerated the rate of migration into the scratch wounded area of a HUVEC monolayer. Tβ4 treatment also increased the production of matrix metalloproteinases that may degrade the basement membrane during angiogenesis. Additional experiments using subcutaneously implanted Matrigel showed that Tβ4 stimulated cell migration in vivo. These results provide the first direct evidence that Tβ4 has chemoattractive activity and promotes angiogenesis by stimulating the migration of endothelial cells.—Malinda, K. M., Goldstein, A. L., Kleinman, H. K. Thymosin β4 stimulates directional migration of human umbilical vein endothelial cells. FASEB J. 11, 474–481 (1997)
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