Identification of novel synthetic peptide showing angiogenic activity in human endothelial cells

A novel synthetic hexapeptide (SFKLRY-NH2) that displays angiogenic activity has been identified by positional scanning of a synthetic peptide combinatorial library (PS-SPCL). The peptide induced proliferation, migration, and capillary-like tube formation in primary cultured HUVECs, and augmented vessel sprouting ex vivo while attenuated by the treatment with pertussis toxin (PTX) or U73122 (PLC-inhibitor) suggesting the influence of PTX-sensitive G-proteins and PLC. In addition, SFKLRY-NH2 up-regulated the expression of VEGF-A in HUVECs and the neutralizing antibody against VEGF suppressed SFKLRY-NH2-induced tube formation activity. Taken together, these results suggest that SFKLRY-NH2 may induce blood vessel formation by PTX-sensitive G protein-coupled receptor-PLC-Ca2+ signaling cascade leading into VEGF-A expression in HUVECs.