Isolation of a nonmitogenic angiogenesis factor from wound fluid.

Abstract

Angiogenesis, or new capillary growth, is essential to normal growth and wound healing. It is also active in several pathological states, including the growth of malignant tumors. An extracellular, nonneoplastic angiogenesis factor was isolated from cell-free rabbit wound fluid by pore-limit dialysis and chromatography on a size-exclusion HPLC [high performance liquid chromatography] column. The isolated angiogenesis factor was purified 9600-fold with a yield of 81% and has a MW between 2000-14,000. Wound fluid angiogenesis factor was completely separated from the mitogenic activity of wound fluid; it did not increase the number of capillary endothelial cells in vitro or stimulate [3H]thymidine uptake by these cells. The isolated angiogenesis factor stimulated endothelial cell migration in vitro, and < 200 ng of the factor stimulated angiogenesis in vivo in the corneal implant assay.