This gene belongs to the angiopoietin family of growth factors. The protein encoded by this gene is an antagonist of angiopoietin 1, and both angiopoietin 1 and angiopoietin 2 are ligands for the endothelial TEK receptor tyrosine kinase. Angiopoietin 2 is upregulated in multiple inflammatory diseases and is implicated in the direct control of inflammation-related signaling pathways. The encoded protein affects angiogenesis during embryogenesis and tumorigenesis, disrupts the vascular remodeling ability of angiopoietin 1, and may induce endothelial cell apoptosis. This gene serves a prognostic biomarker for acute respiratory distress syndrome. [provided by RefSeq, Aug 2020]
Forensic Context
A study in mice demonstrated that traumatic brain injury (CCI) significantly increased the ANGPT2 mRNA in magnetically isolated CD31+ endothelial cells from juvenile injured cortices compared to both adult injured and juvenile sham controls [Brickler et al. DOI:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0914-18.2018]. This upregulation was part of an age-dependent endothelial cell response involving the Angiopoietin/Tie2 axis, where pharmacological Tie2 inhibition abolished juvenile neuroprotection and increased barrier disruption, indicating its role in vascular stability and acute injury outcome. A study in pediatric septic shock patients identified two subclasses based on whole blood RNA expression profiles, where Subclass 1 was characterized by upregulated innate immunity and downregulated adaptive immunity pathways, leading to worse clinical outcomes [Yang et al. DOI:10.1186/s13054-023-04689-y].