Elabela and Apelin regulate coronary angiogenesis in a competitive manner

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Biology
• Developmental Biology
• Molecular Endocrinology

Background:

• The apelin receptor (APJ) is a G-protein coupled receptor involved in regulating coronary angiogenesis.
• The precise mechanisms by which APJ's dual ligands, apelin and ELABELA, influence this process remain incompletely understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To elucidate the distinct and combined roles of apelin and ELABELA in regulating coronary angiogenesis.
• To determine the comparative efficacy of apelin and ELABELA as angiogenic stimulants.

Main Methods:

• Utilized mouse heart explant cultures to assess angiogenic activities.
• Quantified cellular proliferation and sprouting outgrowth in response to ligand stimulation.

Main Results:

• Both apelin and ELABELA individually stimulate angiogenic activities, including proliferation and sprouting.
• Apelin demonstrated a more potent angiogenic effect compared to ELABELA.
• Co-stimulation revealed that ELABELA competitively inhibits the angiogenic activity induced by apelin.

Conclusions:

• Apelin and ELABELA exert opposing regulatory effects on coronary angiogenesis.
• The interaction between apelin and ELABELA is characterized by competitive inhibition, influencing the overall angiogenic process.