scholarly journals Heparin‐modified alginate microspheres enhance neovessel formation in hiPSC ‐derived endothelial cells and heterocellular in vitro models by controlled release of vascular endothelial growth factor

Author(s):  
Fabiola Munarin ◽  
Carly Kabelac ◽  
Kareen L.K. Coulombe
Author(s):  
Kamil Wartalski ◽  
Gabriela Gorczyca ◽  
Jerzy Wiater ◽  
Zbigniew Tabarowski ◽  
Małgorzata Duda

AbstractEndothelial cells (ECs), the primary component of the vasculature, play a crucial role in neovascularization. However, the number of endogenous ECs is inadequate for both experimental purposes and clinical applications. Porcine ovarian putative stem cells (poPSCs), although not pluripotent, are characterized by great plasticity. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate whether poPSCs have the potential to differentiate into cells of endothelial lineage. poPSCs were immunomagnetically isolated from postnatal pig ovaries based on the presence of SSEA-4 protein. Expression of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) markers after pre-culture, both at the level of mRNA: ITGB1, THY, and ENG and corresponding protein: CD29, CD90, and CD105 were significantly higher compared to the control ovarian cortex cells. To differentiate poPSCs into ECs, inducing medium containing vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), insulin-like growth factor (IGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), ascorbic acid, and heparin was applied. After 14 days, poPSC differentiation into ECs was confirmed by immunofluorescence staining for vascular endothelial cadherin (VECad) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2). Semi-quantitative WB analysis of these proteins confirmed their high abundance. Additionally, qRT-PCR showed that mRNA expression of corresponding marker genes: CDH5, KDR was significantly higher compared with undifferentiated poPSCs. Finally, EC functional status was confirmed by the migration test that revealed that they were capable of positive chemotaxis, while tube formation assay demonstrated their ability to develop capillary networks. In conclusion, our results provided evidence that poPSCs may constitute the MSC population in the ovary and confirmed that they might be a potential source of ECs for tissue engineering.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Koichi Nishino ◽  
Yasuhiro Yoshimatsu ◽  
Tomoki Muramatsu ◽  
Yasuhito Sekimoto ◽  
Keiko Mitani ◽  
...  

Abstract Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a rare pulmonary disease characterised by the proliferation of smooth muscle-like cells (LAM cells), and an abundance of lymphatic vessels in LAM lesions. Studies reported that vascular endothelial growth factor-D (VEGF-D) secreted by LAM cells contributes to LAM-associated lymphangiogenesis, however, the precise mechanisms of lymphangiogenesis and characteristics of lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) in LAM lesions have not yet been elucidated. In this study, human primary-cultured LECs were obtained both from LAM-affected lung tissues (LAM-LECs) and normal lung tissues (control LECs) using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). We found that LAM-LECs had significantly higher ability of proliferation and migration compared to control LECs. VEGF-D significantly promoted migration of LECs but not proliferation of LECs in vitro. cDNA microarray and FACS analysis revealed the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR)-3 and integrin α9 were elevated in LAM-LECs. Inhibition of VEGFR-3 suppressed proliferation and migration of LECs, and blockade of integrin α9 reduced VEGF-D-induced migration of LECs. Our data uncovered the distinct features of LAM-associated LECs, increased proliferation and migration, which may be due to higher expression of VEGFR-3 and integrin α9. Furthermore, we also found VEGF-D/VEGFR-3 and VEGF-D/ integrin α9 signaling play an important role in LAM-associated lymphangiogenesis.


1996 ◽  
Vol 271 (6) ◽  
pp. C1973-C1980 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Wang ◽  
M. J. Merrill ◽  
R. T. Borchardt

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which stimulates endothelial cell growth and induces hyperpermeability of the microvasculature, plays an important role in normal and tumor-vasculature development and tumor edema generation. In this study, we investigated the effect of VEGF on the permeability of cultured bovine brain microvessel endothelial cells (BMECs), an in vitro blood-brain barrier (BBB) model. We found that addition of purified VEGF to both the apical and basolateral sides of the BMEC monolayers increased the permeability of the monolayer to [14C]sucrose (approximately 3-fold). A more significant increase in permeability was observed when VEGF was applied to the basolateral side of the monolayer (3-fold) than to the apical side (1.5-fold). The permeability-increasing activity of VEGF on the BMEC monolayers is both dose and time dependent. The VEGF-induced permeability increase in BMECs requires a long incubation time with VEGF, and the effect is durable. These results suggest that this cell culture system may be useful for exploring the role of VEGF in regulating the permeability of the BBB, for studying the mechanism of the permeability-increasing effect of VEGF on the endothelial cells, and for evaluating the strategies to regulate the activity of VEGF.


1998 ◽  
Vol 140 (4) ◽  
pp. 947-959 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sybille Esser ◽  
Karen Wolburg ◽  
Hartwig Wolburg ◽  
Georg Breier ◽  
Teymuras Kurzchalia ◽  
...  

Abstract. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is an important regulator of vasculogenesis, angiogenesis, and vascular permeability. In contrast to its transient expression during the formation of new blood vessels, VEGF and its receptors are continuously and highly expressed in some adult tissues, such as the kidney glomerulus and choroid plexus. This suggests that VEGF produced by the epithelial cells of these tissues might be involved in the induction or maintenance of fenestrations in adjacent endothelial cells expressing the VEGF receptors. Here we describe a defined in vitro culture system where fenestrae formation was induced in adrenal cortex capillary endothelial cells by VEGF, but not by fibroblast growth factor. A strong induction of endothelial fenestrations was observed in cocultures of endothelial cells with choroid plexus epithelial cells, or mammary epithelial cells stably transfected with cDNAs for VEGF 120 or 164, but not with untransfected cells. These results demonstrate that, in these cocultures, VEGF is sufficient to induce fenestrations in vitro. Identical results were achieved when the epithelial cells were replaced by an epithelial-derived basal lamina-type extracellular matrix, but not with collagen alone. In this defined system, VEGF-mediated induction of fenestrae was always accompanied by an increase in the number of fused diaphragmed caveolae-like vesicles. Caveolae, but not fenestrae, were labeled with a caveolin-1–specific antibody both in vivo and in vitro. VEGF stimulation led to VEGF receptor tyrosine phosphorylation, but no change in the distribution, phosphorylation, or protein level of caveolin-1 was observed. We conclude that VEGF in the presence of a basal lamina-type extracellular matrix specifically induces fenestrations in endothelial cells. This defined in vitro system will allow further study of the signaling mechanisms involved in fenestrae formation, modification of caveolae, and vascular permeability.


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