Endothelin-2 is a Hypoxia-induced Autocrine Survival Factor for Breast Tumor Cells. The synthesis of EDN2 by human kidney carcinoma cells is decreased by EGF. EDN2 is a chemoattractant for macrophages and THP-1 monocytic cells. Chemotaxis towards EDN2 is via the MAPK pathway: p44 and p42 are phosphorylated when THP-1 cells are stimulated with EDN2. Migration to EDN2 is inhibited by hypoxia and by pertussis toxin. EDN2 leads to activation of macrophages. EDN2 shares a similar peptide sequence with chemokines and may signal via a similar receptor and MAPK-mediated pathway. Furthermore, EDN2 expression by tumors may modulate the behavior of macrophages such that activated cells accumulate in areas of hypoxia.
EDN2 contains 21 amino acids having a molecular mass of 2546.97 Dalton.