Regulatory effects of ferritin on angiogenesis

LG Coffman, D Parsonage… - Proceedings of the …, 2009 - National Acad Sciences
LG Coffman, D Parsonage, R D'Agostino Jr, FM Torti, SV Torti
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2009National Acad Sciences
Angiogenesis, the synthesis of new blood vessels from preexisting vessels, plays a critical
role in normal wound healing and tumor growth. HKa (cleaved high molecular weight
kininogen) is an endogenous inhibitor of angiogenesis formed by the cleavage of kininogen
on endothelial cells. Ferritin is a protein principally known for its central role in iron storage.
Here, we demonstrate that ferritin binds to HKa with high affinity (K d 13 nM). Further, ferritin
antagonizes the antiangiogenic effects of HKa, enhancing the migration, assembly, and …
Angiogenesis, the synthesis of new blood vessels from preexisting vessels, plays a critical role in normal wound healing and tumor growth. HKa (cleaved high molecular weight kininogen) is an endogenous inhibitor of angiogenesis formed by the cleavage of kininogen on endothelial cells. Ferritin is a protein principally known for its central role in iron storage. Here, we demonstrate that ferritin binds to HKa with high affinity (Kd 13 nM). Further, ferritin antagonizes the antiangiogenic effects of HKa, enhancing the migration, assembly, and survival of HKa-treated endothelial cells. Effects of ferritin were independent of its iron content. Peptide mapping revealed that ferritin binds to a 22-aa subdomain of HKa that is critical to its antiangiogenic activity. In vivo, ferritin opposed HKa's antiangiogenic effects in a human prostate cancer xenograft, restoring tumor-dependent vessel growth. Ferritin-mediated regulation of angiogenesis represents a new angiogenic regulatory pathway, and identifies a new role for ferritin in cell biology.
National Acad Sciences