Disordered purinergic signaling inhibits pathological angiogenesis in Cd39/Entpd1-null mice

CD39/ecto-nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase-type-1 (ENTPD1) is the dominant vascular ecto-nucleotidase that catalyzes the phosphohydrolysis of extracellular nucleotides in the blood and extracellular space. This ecto-enzymatic process modulates endothelial cell, leukocyte, and platelet purinergic receptor-mediated responses to extracellular nucleotides in the setting of thrombosis and vascular inflammation. We show here that deletion of Cd39/Entpd1 results in abrogation of angiogenesis, causing decreased growth of implanted tumors and inhibiting development of pulmonary metastases. Qualitative abnormalities of Cd39-null endothelial cell adhesion and integrin dysfunction were demonstrated in vitro. These changes were associated with decreased activation of focal adhesion kinase and extracellular signaling-regulated kinase-1 and -2 in endothelial cells. Our data indicate novel links between CD39/ENTPD1, extracellular nucleotide-mediated signaling, and vascular endothelial cell integrin function that impact on angiogenesis and tumor growth.