Previously, it was reported that the decreased expression of brain-specific angiogenesis inhibitor 2 (BAI2) by anti-sense strategy induced the increased vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression. However, its intracellular mechanism is not ...
Previously, it was reported that the decreased expression of brain-specific angiogenesis inhibitor 2 (BAI2) by anti-sense strategy induced the increased vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression. However, its intracellular mechanism is not fully understood. In this study, the author found that GA-binding protein gamma (GABPγ), the ETS-related transcription factor, was associated with the cytoplasmic domain of BAI2 through the yeast two-hybrid assay. The whole portion of GABPγ interacted with the cytoplasmic domain of BAI2 more than N-terminal portion containing ankyrin repeats, middle portion of GABPγ that is conserved between GABPβ and GABPγ or C-terminal portion containing GABPβ- or GABPγ-specific region. RT-PCR analyses of GABPγ cDNA transfected SHSY5Y neuroblastoma cells revealed increased GABPγ expressions but a decreased VEGF expression. Also, transcriptional activity of VEGF was decreased when either GABPα/β or GABPα/γ cDNAs were co-transfected with VEGF promoter-luciferase construct into monkey kidney fibroblast (CV-1) cells. The gel mobility-shift assays showed that in vitro translated GABPα protein did form the complex, which was abrogated with an addition of anti-GABPα antibody, indicating that GABPα/β or GABPα/γ participated as a transcription factor in the regulation of VEGF expression. In in vitro hypoxic cell culture model by cobalt treatment, GABPα and GABPγ expressions decreased concomitantly with BAI2 after the time course of hypoxia, and they preceded the increased VEGF expression in the SHSY5Y cells. The relocation of GABPγ to the transmembrane region was observed at 2 h, when BAI2 expression was returned to the basal level after acute dropping. It indicated that the available GABP transcription factor was sequestered to the cell membrane rather than nucleus with the deactivation of BAI2, thereby leading to the increased VEGF expression. These results suggest that angiostatic BAI2 suppresses and also redistributes GA-binding protein through binding to its cytoplasmic domain, regulates the angiogenic VEGF expression at the promoter level, and thereby controls brain angiogenesis.