Thrombospondin-1 (TSP1) can inhibit angiogenesis by interacting with endothelial cell CD36 or proteoglycan receptors. We have now identified ␣31 integrin as an additional receptor for TSP1 that modulates angiogenesis and the in vitro behavior of endothelial cells. Recognition of TSP1 and an ␣31 integrin-binding peptide from TSP1 by normal endothelial cells is induced after loss of cell-cell contact or ligation of CD98. Although confluent endothelial cells do not spread on a TSP1 substrate, ␣31 integrin mediates efficient spreading on TSP1 substrates of endothelial cells deprived of cell-cell contact or vascular endothelial cadherin signaling. Activation of this integrin is independent of proliferation, but ligation of the ␣31 integrin modulates endothelial cell proliferation. In solution, both intact TSP1 and the ␣31 integrin-binding peptide from TSP1 inhibit proliferation of sparse endothelial cell cultures independent of their CD36 expression. However, TSP1 or the same peptide immobilized on the substratum promotes their proliferation. The TSP1 peptide, when added in solution, specifically inhibits endothelial cell migration and inhibits angiogenesis in the chick chorioallantoic membrane, whereas a fragment of TSP1 containing this sequence stimulates angiogenesis. Therefore, recognition of immobilized TSP1 by ␣31 integrin may stimulate endothelial cell proliferation and angiogenesis. Peptides that inhibit this interaction are a novel class of angiogenesis inhibitors.
INTRODUCTIONAngiogenesis under normal and pathological conditions is regulated by both positive and negative signals received from soluble growth factors and components of the extracellular matrix (reviewed by Folkman, 1995;Polverini, 1995;Hanahan and Folkman, 1996). Thrombospondins are a family of extracellular matrix proteins that have diverse effects on cell adhesion, motility, proliferation, and survival (reviewed by Bornstein, 1992Bornstein, , 1995Roberts, 1996). Two members of this family, thrombospondin-1 (TSP1) and thrombospondin-2, are inhibitors of angiogenesis (Good et al., 1990;Volpert et al., 1995). TSP1 inhibits growth, sprouting, and motility responses of endothelial cells in vitro (Good et al., 1990;Taraboletti et al., 1990;Iruela Arispe et al., 1991;Canfield and Schor, 1995;Tolsma et al., 1997) and, under defined conditions, induces programmed cell death in endothelial cells (Guo et al., 1997b). TSP1 inhibits angiogenesis in vivo in the rat corneal pocket and chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) angiogenesis assays (Good et al., 1990;Iruela-Arispe et al., 1999). The ability of TSP1 overexpression to suppress tumor growth and neovascularization in several tumor xenograft models provides further evidence for an antiangiogenic activity of TSP1 (Dameron et al., 1994;Weinstat-Saslow et al., 1994;Sheibani and Frazier, 1995;Hsu et al., 1996). Circulating TSP1 may also inhibit neovascularization of micrometastases in some cancers (Morelli et al., 1998;Volpert et al., 1998). A few studies, however, have concluded that TSP1 also has p...