Vascular cell-adhesion molecule-1 plays a central role in the proangiogenic effects of oxidative stress

Aling Dong, Jikui Shen, Ming Bing Zeng, Peter A. Campochiaro

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

34 Scopus citations

Abstract

Oxidative stress exacerbates neovascularization (NV) in many disease processes. In this study we investigated the mechanism of that effect. Mice deficient in superoxide dismutase 1 (Sod1 -/- mice) have increased oxidative stress and show severe ocular NV that is reduced to baseline by antioxidants. Compared with wild-type mice with ischemic retinopathy, Sod1 -/- mice with ischemic retinopathy had increased expression of several NF-κB-responsive genes, but expression of vascular cell-adhesion molecule-1 (Vcam1) was particularly high. Intraocular injection of anti-VCAM-1 antibody eliminated the excessive ischemia-induced retinal NV. Elements that contributed to oxidative stress-induced worsening of retinal NV that were abrogated by blockade of VCAM-1 included increases in leukostasis, influx of bone marrow-derived cells, and capillary closure. Compared with ischemia alone, ischemia plus oxidative stress resulted in increased expression of several HIF-1-responsive genes caused in part by VCAM-1-induced worsening of nonperfusion and, hence, ischemia, because anti-VCAM-1 significantly reduced the increased expression of all but one of the genes. These data explain why oxidative stress worsens ischemia-induced retinal NV and may be relevant to other neovascular diseases in which oxidative stress has been implicated. The data also suggest that antagonism of VCAM-1 provides a potential therapy to combat worsening of neovascular diseases by oxidative stress.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)14614-14619
Number of pages6
JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Volume108
Issue number35
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 30 2011

Keywords

  • Age-related macular degeneration
  • Diabetic retinopathy
  • Reactive oxygen species

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General

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