AP-1 transcription factor mediates VEGF-induced endothelial cell migration and proliferation

VEGF, upon binding to its endothelial cell specific receptors VEGF-R1 and VEGF-R2, can induce endothelial cell migration, proliferation and angiogenesis. However, the molecular mechanism of these effects still remains unclear. In this study, we investigated whether VEGF promotes human umbilical vascular endothelial cell (HUVEC) migration and proliferation through activator protein-1 transcription factor (AP-1) family. We first showed that VEGF induces immediate-early genes AP-1 family gene expression differentially with the profound induction of JunB (both mRNA and protein) under various conditions (PBS, DMSO or control adenoviruses). The increase in AP-1 mRNA expression occurs primarily at the transcriptional level. Inhibition of AP-1 DNA binding activity by adenovirus expressing a potent dominant negative form of c-Fos (Afos) significantly attenuated VEGF-induced HUVEC migration and proliferation and cyclin D1 expression. Knockdown of JunB with adenovirus expressing JunB shRNA reduces VEGF-induced JunB expression and attenuated HUVEC migration. However the shJunB-expressing virus has no effect on VEGF-induced cyclin D1 protein expression and proliferation. These results suggest that VEGF-induced endothelial migration is mediated primarily by induction of JunB whereas the promotion of endothelial proliferation by VEGF is mediated by JunB-independent AP-1 family members.