MicroRNA-148a/b-3p regulates angiogenesis by targeting neuropilin-1 in endothelial cells.

MicroRNAs (miRs) are crucial regulators of vascular endothelial cell (EC) functions, including migration, proliferation, and survival. However, the role of most miRs in ECs remains unknown. Using RNA sequencing analysis, we found that miR-148a/b-3p expression was significantly downregulated during the differentiation of umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells into outgrowing ECs and that decreased miR-148a/b-3p levels were closely related to EC behavior.

AMIGO2, a novel membrane anchor of PDK1, controls cell survival and angiogenesis via Akt activation.

The phosphoinositide 3-kinase-Akt signaling pathway is essential to many biological processes, including cell proliferation, survival, metabolism, and angiogenesis, under pathophysiological conditions. Although 3-phosphoinositide-dependent kinase 1 (PDK1) is a primary activator of Akt at the plasma membrane, the optimal activation mechanism remains unclear. We report that adhesion molecule with IgG-like domain 2 (AMIGO2) is a novel scaffold protein that regulates PDK1 membrane localization and Akt activation.