Integrin αVβ5/Akt/Sp1 pathway participates in matrix stiffness-mediated effects on VEGFR2 upregulation in vascular endothelial cells.

ABSTRACT: Our previous study has validated that higher matrix stiffness obviously improves vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in HCC cells, highlighting a linkage between matrix stiffness and HCC angiogenesis. However, the effects of matrix stiffness on vascular endothelial cells in HCC and its underlying mechanism remain largely uncharacterized. Here we further analyzed the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) grown on different stiffness substrates and explored its regulatory mechanism for better understanding matrix stiffness-regulated angiogenesis in HCC. Our results revealed that increased matrix stiffness significantly upregulated the expression of VEGFR2 in HUVECs, and the expression level of

SUBMITTER: Wang Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7471346 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature