# Syndecan function in endothelial cells

> **NIH NIH R01** · YALE UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $563,755

## Abstract

Project Summary
 The development and formation of normal and abnormal vasculature is of critical importance
to both normal biology and disease pathogenesis. Recent studies from our and other
laboratories have demonstrated the importance of syndecans in regulation of heparan-binding
growth factors signaling on endothelial cells. Yet, despite the impressive degree of syndecan-
dependent regulation of VEGF signaling, there is a very limited understanding of how this is
accomplished. In preliminary studies, we have observed abnormal developmental angiogenesis
in mice missing syndecan-2 and abnormal lymphatic morphogenesis in mice missing syndecan-
4. Furthermore, signaling studies point to VEGFA specificity for syndecan-2 and VEGFC
specificity for syndecan-4. We propose to determine relative contributions of Syndecan-2 and
Syndecan-4 to, respectively, VEGFR2-driven angiogenesis and VEGFR3-driven
lymphangiogenesis both in development and in adult settings. The understanding of accounts
for these signaling specificities would open-up the possibility of selectively targeting
angiogenesis vs. lymphangiogenesis in a number of settings and, be, potentially, of tremendous
clinical significance.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10084912
- **Project number:** 5R01HL062289-22
- **Recipient organization:** YALE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Michael Simons
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $563,755
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1999-05-01 → 2022-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10084912

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10084912, Syndecan function in endothelial cells (5R01HL062289-22). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10084912. Licensed CC0.

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