BACKGROUND This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of graded concentrations (10(-8), 10(-7) and 10(-6) M) of progesterone receptor (PR) modulator CDB-2914 on the protein contents of PR, of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), adrenomedullin (ADM) and their receptors in cultured human uterine leiomyoma and matching myometrial cells. METHODS PR-A, PR-B, VEGF-A, VEGF-B, VEGF recep...

A link between angiotensin II and cell proliferation has previously been reported. However, there remains controversy as to the role of the individual angiotensin II receptor subtypes in mediating these effects and their link to angiogenic cytokines and their receptors. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were infused with either angiotensin II or vehicle for 14 d at a dose of 58.3 ng/min. Angiotensin II-...

Blood-flow interactions with the vascular endothelium represents a specialized example of mechanical regulation of cell function that has important physiological and pathophysiological cardiovascular consequences. Yet, the mechanisms of mechanostransduction are not understood fully. This study shows that shear stress induces a rapid induction as well as nuclear translocation of the vascular end...

OBJECTIVE Knockout studies have demonstrated crucial roles for the platelet-derived growth factor-B and its cognate receptor, platelet-derived growth factor receptor-beta (PDGFR-beta), in blood vessel maturation, that is, the coverage of newly formed vessels with mural cells/pericytes. This study describes the consequences of a constitutively activating mutation of the PDGFR-beta (Pdgfrb(D849V)...

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is important in the growth and metastasis of cancer cells. In 2001, another angiogenic factor, endocrine gland-derived VEGF (EG-VEGF), was characterized and sequenced. EG-VEGF activity appears to be restricted to endothelial cells derived from endocrine glands. At the molecular level, its expression is regulated by hypoxia and steroid hormones. Although...