VEGF-C and -D are involved in CEACAM1-mediated endothelial survival. (A) CEACAM1-overexpressing HDMECs remain confluent under hunger conditions. In contrast, the treatment of CEACAM1-overexpressing HDMECs with antibodies against VEGF-C (B) and -D (C) leads to a detachment of endothelial cells from the well (marked areas). The detachment of endothelial cells is most prominent when empty vector-transfected HDMECs were treated with anti–VEGF-C (D). CEACAM1 silencing in HDMECs induces detachment of endothelial cells without any treatment (E), while luciferase-silenced HDMECs remain almost confluent (F). The treatment of CEACAM1- (G) and luciferase-silenced (H) HDMECs with VEGF-A improves their survival. The treatment with VEGF-C improves the survival of luciferase-silenced HDMECs (I) but not that of CEACAM1-silenced HDMECs, as visible by the area of cell detachment (J).