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Biomedical subjects

J Folkman

Publications and source records attributed to J Folkman.

At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources

A heparin-binding angiogenic protein--basic fibroblast growth factor--is stored within basement membrane.

The basement membranes of bovine cornea are found to contain an angiogenic endothelial cell mitogen, basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF), as determined by heparin-affinity chromatography, immunoblotting, immunofluorescence, and stimulation of capillary endothelial cell proliferation. The growth factor appears to be bound to heparan sulfate and is released from the cornea by treatment with heparin, a hexasaccharide heparin fragment, heparan sulfate, or heparanase, but not by chondroitin sulfate or chondroitinase. These findings indicate that basement membranes of the cornea may serve as physiologic storage depots for an angiogenic molecule. Abnormal release of this growth factor could be responsible for corneal neovascularization in a variety of ocular diseases. Physiologic and pathologic neovascularization in other tissues may also be initiated by release of stored angiogenic factors from the basement membrane. The sequestration of angiogenic endothelial mitogens in the basement membrane may be a general mechanism for regulating their accessibility to vascular endothelium.

Angiogenesis Inducing Agents↗

Angiogenic factors.

Within the past 2 years, several angiogenic factors have been fully purified, their amino acid sequences determined, and their genes cloned. These polypeptides include acidic and basic fibroblast growth factor, angiogenin, and transforming growth factors alpha and beta. Other less well characterized angiogenesis factors have also been isolated, some of which are lipids. This article traces the discovery of the angiogenic factors and describes their possible significance in understanding growth regulation of the vascular system. When evaluated according to their putative targets, they appear to fall into two groups: those that act directly on vascular endothelial cells to stimulate locomotion or mitosis, and those that act indirectly by mobilizing host cells (for example, macrophages) to release endothelial growth factors. In addition to their presence in tumors undergoing neovascularization, the same angiogenic peptides are found in many normal tissues where neovascularization is not occurring. This suggests that physiological expression of angiogenic factors is tightly regulated. In addition to the persistent angiogenesis induced by tumors, it now appears that a variety of nonneoplastic diseases, previously thought to be unrelated, can be considered as "angiogenic diseases" because they are dominated by the pathologic growth of capillary blood vessels.

Angiogenesis Inducing Agents↗

The treatment of post-operative and peptic esophageal strictures after esophageal atresia repair. A program including dilatation with balloon catheters.

Nine patients, 6 weeks to 17 years of age with esophageal atresia (EA), developed esophageal strictures and were treated with 26 balloon catheter dilatations over a period of 3 years; 6 are now asymptomatic. Five of the 9 patients had suspected reflux esophagitis, confirmed in 3 by biopsy and treated medically prior to dilatation. Seven of the 9 patients had a primary anastomosis, 1 a gastric tube, and 1 a colonic interposition. Most dilatations in the group of 7 were performed with balloon (B) greater than or equal to the diameter of the distal esophagus (E) (B/E greater than or equal to 1). The 3 residually symptomatic patients include an infant dilated conservatively (B/E less than 1) to facilitate later bouginage, 1 patient with a recurrent stricture after stopping medical therapy and home bouginage, and 1 infant who had a persistent anastomotic stricture, suspected but untreated reflux esophagitis, and a perforation during the second balloon dilatation. Balloon catheter esophageal dilatation, as an alternative to bouginage, is usually a safe and effective procedure when reflux esophagitis is diagnosed and treated prior to dilatation.

Adolescent↗

Endothelial growth factors and extracellular matrix regulate DNA synthesis through modulation of cell and nuclear expansion.

Studies were carried out to analyze the mechanism by which extracellular matrix (ECM) molecules and soluble growth factors interplay to control capillary endothelial cell growth. Bovine adrenal capillary endothelial cells attached to purified matrix components but spread poorly and exhibited low levels of DNA synthesis in the absence of exogenous growth factors or serum. Addition of cationic, heparin-binding growth factor purified from either human hepatoma cells or normal bovine pituitary (fibroblast growth factor) induced extensive cell spreading and up to eight fold increases in DNA synthetic rates relative to levels observed in cells on similar substrata in the absence of mitogen. However, the extent of this response differed depending upon the type of ECM molecule used for cell attachment (fold increase on type III collagen greater than gelatin greater than type IV collagen greater than fibronectin greater than type V collagen much greater than laminin). Computerized morphometry demonstrated that endothelial cell DNA synthetic rates increased in an exponential fashion in direct relation to linear increases in cell and nuclear size (projected areas). Similarly sized cells always displayed the same level of DNA synthesis independent of the type of ECM molecule used for cell attachment or the presence of saturating amounts of growth factor. In all cases, DNA metabolism appeared to be coupled to physical expansion of the cell and nucleus rather than to a specific cell morphology (e.g. polygonal versus bipolar). These findings suggest that ECM may act locally as a "solid state" regulator of angiogenesis through its ability to selectively support or prohibit cell and nuclear extension in response to stimulation by soluble mitogens.

Adrenal Glands↗

Endothelial cell-derived basic fibroblast growth factor: synthesis and deposition into subendothelial extracellular matrix.

Bovine aortic and corneal endothelial cells synthesize a growth factor that remains mostly cell-associated but can also be extracted from the subendothelial extracellular matrix (ECM) deposited by these cells. The endothelial cell-derived growth factors extracted from cell lysates and from the extracellular matrix appear to be structurally related to basic fibroblast growth factor by the criteria that they bind to heparin-Sepharose and are eluted at 1.4-1.6 M NaCl, have a molecular weight of about 18,400, cross-react with anti-basic fibroblast growth factor antibodies when analyzed by electrophoretic blotting and immunoprecipitation, and are potent mitogens for bovine aortic and capillary endothelial cells. It is suggested that endothelium can store growth factors capable of autocrine growth promotion in two ways: by sequestering growth factor within the cell and by incorporating it into the underlying extracellular matrix.

Animals↗

Protein kinase C activators suppress stimulation of capillary endothelial cell growth by angiogenic endothelial mitogens.

The intracellular events regulating endothelial cell proliferation and organization into formalized capillaries are not known. We report that the protein kinase C activator beta-phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu) suppresses bovine capillary endothelial (BCE) cell proliferation (K50 = 6 +/- 4 nM) and DNA synthesis in response to human hepatoma-derived growth factor, an angiogenic endothelial mitogen. In contrast, PDBu has no effect on the proliferation of bovine aortic endothelial cells and is mitogenic for bovine aortic smooth muscle and BALB/c 3T3 cells. Several observations indicate that the inhibition of human hepatoma-derived growth factor-stimulated BCE cell growth by PDBu is mediated through protein kinase C. Different phorbol compounds inhibit BCE cell growth according to their potencies as protein kinase C activators (12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate greater than PDBu much greater than beta-phorbol 12,13-diacetate much much greater than beta-phorbol; alpha-phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate; alpha-phorbol 12,13-didecanoate). PDBu binds to a single class of specific, saturable sites on the BCE cell with an apparent Kd of 8 nM, in agreement with reported affinities of PDBu for protein kinase C in other systems. Specific binding of PDBu to BCE cells is displaced by sn-1,2-dioctanoylglycerol, a protein kinase C activator and an analog of the putative second messenger activating this kinase in vivo. The weak protein kinase C activator, sn-1,2-dibutyrylglycerol, does not affect PDBu binding. A cytosolic extract from BCE cells contains a calcium/phosphatidylserine-dependent protein kinase that is activated by sn-1,2-dioctanoylglycerol and PDBu, but not by beta-phorbol. These findings indicate that protein kinase C activation can cause capillary endothelial cells to become desensitized to angiogenic endothelial mitogens. This intracellular regulatory mechanism might be invoked during certain phases of angiogenesis, for example when proliferating endothelial cells become differentiated to organize into nongrowing tubes.

Adrenal Glands↗

Angiostatic steroids. Method of discovery and mechanism of action.

A new class of steroids has been found that inhibits angiogenesis in the presence of nonanticoagulant heparin. Tetrahydrocortisol is the most potent of the naturally occurring angiostatic steroids. It is a metabolite of cortisone that circulates in the blood, appears in the urine, and was previously believed to be biologically inactive. Both the plasma form and the urinary form are antiangiogenic. The mechanism of action of these steroids depends on their ability to specifically alter basement membrane turnover in growing capillary blood vessels. These steroids represent a prototype of angiogenesis inhibitors that may find potential therapeutic use as adjuncts to anticancer therapy, and in diseases dominated by abnormal neovascularization, i.e., angiogenesis-dependent diseases.

Animals↗

Heparin-binding angiogenesis factors: detection by immunological methods.

Immunological methods for the detection of basic fibroblast growth (FGF) are described. Polyclonal antibodies directed against synthetic peptides representing amino-, internal, and carboxy-terminal regions of basic FGF, were raised in rabbits. Five techniques, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, immunoblot, electrophoretic transfer (Western) blot, immunoprecipitation and radioimmunoassay, were used to detect basic FGF. These techniques were used to demonstrate that a human hepatoma cell line synthesizes a growth factor structurally related to brain and pituitary basic FGF.

Angiogenesis Inducing Agents↗

Treatment of plasma cell granuloma of the lung with radiation therapy. A report of two cases and a review of the literature.

Plasma cell granuloma is a rare, benign tumor that affects people at all ages and most frequently involves the lung, gastrointestinal tract, and salivary gland. They are the most common, isolated, primary lesion of the lung in children less than 16 years of age, and usually present as circumscribed, peripheral, parenchymal tumors, which may be static or increase slowly in size without causing symptoms. Whereas surgical excision is the treatment of choice, there are situations in which the lesion cannot be resected without significant morbidity because of direct extension into the mediastinum or lymph nodes. In these circumstances, radiation therapy may be a better therapeutic option. Two cases of plasma cell granuloma that could not be completely resected are described. The patients were treated with radiation therapy consisting of 4320 rad in 4.5 weeks and 4500 rads in 4.5 weeks, respectively, and both have been cured. Although surgery as the primary treatment for most patients is still recommended, especially in the young so the potential side effects of radiation therapy can be avoided, the authors believe that in rare cases where the lesion is locally aggressive and surgically unresectable or resectable only with major morbidity, radiation therapy can be an effective alternative. Currently, the recommended treatment is 4000 to 4500 rad given in 180 to 200 rad fractions, with the fields being carefully tailored to tumor volume in order to minimize the dose to the surrounding normal tissue.

Child, Preschool↗

Oral heparin results in the appearance of heparin fragments in the plasma of rats.

We have previously shown that angiogenesis inhibition and tumor regression can be accomplished by combinations of heparin or heparin fragments with cortisone [Folkman, J., Langer, R., Linhardt, R. J., Haudenschild, C. & Taylor, S. (1983) Science 221, 719-725]. Oral heparin was also effective in combination with cortisone. We now show that a single oral dose of [35S]heparin or [3H]heparin (15,000 units/kg) results in continuous release of radioactive material into the bloodstream for at least 12 hr. This is associated with the presence of anti-factor Xa activity at a level of approximately equal to 0.1 unit/ml. The radioactive material is identified as oligo-, di-, and monosaccharides by its behavior in chromatographic systems, its possession of anti-factor Xa activity, and the effect of treatment with bacterial heparinase. The heparin fragments are extensively metabolized to fragments without anti-factor Xa activity that are readily subject to urinary excretion.

Administration, Oral↗

A possible mechanism for inhibition of angiogenesis by angiostatic steroids: induction of capillary basement membrane dissolution.

A new class of angiostatic steroids acts independently of previously identified steroid functions to inhibit angiogenesis when administered with heparin. Development of angiostatic steroids as therapeutic modulators of blood vessel growth would be greatly facilitated if their mode of action were thoroughly understood. However, the mechanism by which these steroids produce capillary regression is not known. The distributions of fibronectin and laminin were studied in growing and regressing capillaries by immunofluorescence microscopy to determine whether capillary basement membrane (BM) alterations could be involved in the mechanism of antiangiogenesis. In normal 8-day-old chick chorioallantoic membrane, fibronectin and laminin appeared in continuous linear patterns within BM surrounding growing capillaries. In contrast, chorioallantoic membranes treated with combinations of angiostatic steroid and heparin exhibited capillary BM fragmentation and eventually complete loss of fibronectin and laminin from regions of capillary involution. Capillary BM breakdown correlated with capillary retraction, endothelial cell rounding, and associated capillary regression. BM surrounding large vessels, neighboring epithelium, and nongrowing capillaries were not affected. Capillary BM dissolution is the first biochemical action identified for this new class of antiangiogenic steroids.

Allantois↗