ADAMTS8
ADAMTS8 is grouped with ADAMTS1 in the anti-angiogenic wing of the ADAMTS family. Expression analyses detect the enzyme in vascular cells and in tissues undergoing angiogenic remodeling, and functional studies indicate that ADAMTS8 can inhibit endothelial cell sprouting, with Adamts8 knockout mice exhibiting vascular defects in lung and other organs that become pronounced when Adamts1 is also lost. Beyond angiogenesis, ADAMTS8 has been reported to cleave extracellular-matrix components, although its substrate range is narrower than that of the prototypic aggrecanases. Recombinant ADAMTS8 serves vascular biology and matrix research. Expression studies report the transcript in heart, lung and vascular beds during development, complementing its detection in adult endothelial cells.
