Research summary
Studies identify natural antagonists in angiogenesis, ubiquitin-ligase mediators of muscle atrophy, and a registered cytokine-receptor blockade in atopic disease. Angiopoietin-2 (Ang2) was identified by homology screening as a naturally occurring antagonist of the Tie2 receptor and of angiopoietin-1, with transgenic overexpression of Ang2 disrupting embryonic mouse blood-vessel formation; in adult mice and humans Ang2 expression was localized to sites of vascular remodeling, establishing a vertebrate example of a naturally occurring receptor-tyrosine-kinase antagonist [1]. Building on the Ang1/Ang2/Tie2 system, work on tumor angiogenesis showed that a subset of tumors initially grows by coopting existing host vessels rather than as avascular masses; the coopted vessels regress, producing massive tumor cell loss before robust angiogenesis at the tumor margin rescues the remaining tumor, with expression patterns of Ang2 and VEGF supporting their roles as regulators of this balance [3]. To identify mediators of skeletal muscle atrophy, transcript profiling across atrophy models converged on two ubiquitin-ligase genes, Muscle RING Finger 1 (MuRF1) and Muscle Atrophy F-box (MAFbx, a SCF-family E3 ligase); overexpression of MAFbx in myotubes induced atrophy, while MAFbx or MuRF1 knockout mice were resistant to atrophy, identifying both proteins as candidate drug targets [2]. The dupilumab phase 3 SOLO 1 and SOLO 2 trials randomized adults with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis whose disease was inadequately controlled by topical treatment to weekly subcutaneous dupilumab (300 mg) or placebo, or to dupilumab every other week alternating with placebo, over 16 weeks, testing IL-4 receptor alpha blockade as a means to inhibit type 2 cytokine signaling [4].
Recent publications
- Vascular-specific growth factors and blood vessel formationDOI
- Angiopoietin-2, a Natural Antagonist for Tie2 That Disrupts in vivo AngiogenesisDOI
- Identification of Ubiquitin Ligases Required for Skeletal Muscle AtrophyDOI
- Requisite Role of Angiopoietin-1, a Ligand for the TIE2 Receptor, during Embryonic AngiogenesisDOI
- Akt/mTOR pathway is a crucial regulator of skeletal muscle hypertrophy and can prevent muscle atrophy in vivoDOI
- Intravitreal Aflibercept (VEGF Trap-Eye) in Wet Age-related Macular DegenerationDOI
- Vessel Cooption, Regression, and Growth in Tumors Mediated by Angiopoietins and VEGFDOI
- Two Phase 3 Trials of Dupilumab versus Placebo in Atopic DermatitisDOI
- Isolation of Angiopoietin-1, a Ligand for the TIE2 Receptor, by Secretion-Trap Expression CloningDOI
- The IGF-1/PI3K/Akt Pathway Prevents Expression of Muscle Atrophy-Induced Ubiquitin Ligases by Inhibiting FOXO Transcription FactorsDOI
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