Proteolytically processed soluble tumor endothelial marker (TEM) 5 mediates endothelial cell survival during angiogenesis by linking integrin alpha(v)beta3 to glycosaminoglycans.

Tumor endothelial marker (TEM) 5 is a member of the adhesion family of G-protein-coupled receptors and up-regulated in endothelial cells during tumor and physiologic angiogenesis. Here, we report that TEM5 is expressed on the surface of endothelial cells. A soluble TEM5 (sTEM5) fragment is shed by endothelial cells during capillary-like network formation and upon growth factor stimulation. We found that sTEM5 binds to several glycosaminoglycans. Furthermore, sequence analysis and functional and biochemical studies revealed that sTEM5 contains a cryptic RGD-binding site for integrin alpha(v)beta3. Matrix metalloprotease 9-processed, but not full-length, sTEM5 mediated endothelial cell adhesion by direct interaction with integrin alpha(v)beta3. Adhesion to proteolytically processed sTEM5 (ppsTEM5) or glycosaminoglycan-bound ppsTEM5 promoted survival of growth factor deprived endothelial cells. ppsTEM5-mediated cell survival was inhibited by a function blocking integrin alpha(v)beta3 antibody. Based on our results we conclude that sTEM5 is shed by endothelial cells during angiogenesis and binds to glycosaminoglycans present on extracellular matrix and cell surface proteoglycans. Further proteolytic processing of sTEM5 leads to exposure of its RGD motif mediating endothelial cell survival by linking integrin alpha(v)beta3 to glycosaminoglycans.