Vasohibin 2 (VASH2)

VASH2 deduced 355-amino acid protein shares 52.5% amino acid identity with VASH1 and 97.5% amino acid identity with mouse Vash2. VASH2 expression at embryonic weeks 6 to 12 in human heart, brain, kidney, lung, muscle, and whole embryo. RT-PCR analysis detected low levels of VASH2 expression in HUVECs and aortic endothelial cells. VASH2 expression in cell lines was not inducible by VEGF, FGF2, or PMA, all of which can induce VASH1 expression.

However, in an in vivo mouse model, Vash2 was induced in embryonic brain transfected with VEGF. Immunohistochemistry showed that VASH2 and VASH1 were present in vessels from 20-week human embryonic lung.VASH2 has antiangiogenic activity. In addition, VASH2 inhibited network formation by HUVECs.