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Medical AI Inquiry: You was designed to assist in medical decision-making based on the provided user questions. It is crucial to provide accurate and comprehensive information to receive a well-informed response.  Labels: OBJECTIVE, RESULTS. Meshes: Angiopoietin-like Proteins, Angiopoietins, Animals, Biological Factors, Cell Movement, Cells, Cultured, Disease Models, Animal, Enzyme Activation, Hindlimb, Humans, Ischemia, Mice, Mice, Inbred BALB C, Mice, Knockout, Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1, Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3, Muscle, Skeletal, Neovascularization, Physiologic, Nitric Oxide, Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III, RNA, Messenger, Regional Blood Flow, Umbilical Veins.
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Does angiopoietin-related growth factor enhance blood flow via activation of the ERK1/2-eNOS-NO pathway in a mouse hind-limb ischemia model? Context: Transgenic mice overexpressing angiopoietin-related growth factor (AGF) exhibit enhanced angiogenesis, suggesting that AGF may be a useful drug target in ischemic disease. Our goal was to determine whether AGF enhances blood flow in a mouse hind-limb ischemia model and to define molecular mechanisms underlying AGF signaling in endothelial cells. Intramuscular injection of adenovirus harboring AGF into the ischemic limb increased AGF production, which increased blood flow through induction of angiogenesis and arteriogenesis, thereby reducing the necessity for limb amputation. In vitro analysis showed that exposing human umbilical venous endothelial cells to AGF increased nitric oxide (NO) production through activation of an ERK1/2-endothelial NO synthetase (eNOS) signaling pathway. AGF-stimulated eNOS phosphorylation, NO production, and endothelial cell migration were all abolished by specific MEK1/2 inhibitors. Moreover, AGF did not restore blood flow to ischemic hind-limbs of either mice receiving NOS inhibitor L-NAME or eNOS knockout mice.
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Activation of an ERK1/2-eNOS-NO pathway is a crucial signaling mechanism by which AGF increases blood flow through induction of angiogenesis and arteriogenesis. Further investigation of the regulation underlying AGF signaling pathway may contribute to develop a new clinical strategy for ischemic vascular diseases. Final Decision: yes