scholarly journals Mesenchymal Stem Cells Attract Endothelial Progenitor Cells via a Positive Feedback Loop between CXCR2 and CXCR4

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Yingyun Tan ◽  
Linjing Shu ◽  
Peng Xu ◽  
Shi Bai

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can attract host endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) to promote vascularization in tissue-engineered constructs (TECs). Nevertheless, the underlying mechanism remains vague. This study is aimed at investigating the roles of CXCR2 and CXCR4 in the EPC migration towards MSCs. In vitro, Transwell assays were performed to evaluate the migration of EPCs towards MSCs. Antagonists and shRNAs targeting CXCR2, CXCR4, and JAK/STAT3 were applied for the signaling blockade. Western blot and RT-PCR were conducted to analyze the molecular events in EPCs. In vivo, TECs were constructed and subcutaneously implanted into GFP+ transgenic mice. Signaling inhibitors were injected in an orientated manner into TECs. Recruitment of host CD34+ cells was evaluated by immunofluorescence. Eventually, we demonstrated that CXCR2 and CXCR4 were both highly expressed in migrated EPCs and indispensable for MSC-induced EPC migration. CXCR2 and CXCR4 strongly correlated with each other in the way that the expression of CXCR2 and CXCR2-mediated migration depends on the activity of CXCR4 and vice versa. Further studies documented that both of CXCR2 and CXCR4 activated STAT3 signaling, which in turn regulated the expression of CXCR2 and CXCR4, as well as cell migration. In summary, we firstly introduced a reciprocal crosstalk between CXCR2 and CXCR4 in the context of EPC migration. This feedback loop plays critical roles in the migration of EPCs towards MSCs.

2013 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 643-653 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandrina Burlacu ◽  
Gabriela Grigorescu ◽  
Ana-Maria Rosca ◽  
Mihai Bogdan Preda ◽  
Maya Simionescu

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 217-227
Author(s):  
Van Hong Tran ◽  
Hoa Trong Nguyen ◽  
Phuc Van Pham

Introduction: Endothelial cells (ECs) or endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are essential cells for blood vascular regeneration and vascular tissue engineering. However, the source of EPCs are limited. Indeed, these cells only existence with low rate at some tissues such as bone marrow, umbilical cord blood and peripheral blood. This study aimed to produce EPCs from direct reprogramming of adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs) by ETV2 transfection in vitro. Methods: ADSCs were isolated according to the published works. They were confirmed as mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with some characteristics included expression of CD44, CD73, CD90, negative of CD14, CD45, and HLA-DR; in vitro differentiation into adipocytes, and osteoblasts. ETV-2 mRNA was in vitro produced by commercial kit. ETV-2 mRNA molecules were transfected into ADSCs by Fugenes and Lipofectamine agents. These transfected cells were evaluated the expression of EPC properties included expression of CD31, VEGFR-2 in the cell surface by flow cytometry, immunocytochemistry, and in vitro vessel formation in the Matrigel. Results: The results showed that ETV-2 could transform the ADSCs from mesenchymal cell phenotype into endothelial cell phenotype with 10% transfected ADSCs expressing the CD31 in their surface, they also could form the vessel structure in vitro. Conclusion: Although the low efficacy of direct reprogramming, this study gave the new strategy to produce EPCs from the favorite cell sources as ADSCs.


Circulation ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 118 (suppl_18) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiraz El-Aouni ◽  
Franziska Globisch ◽  
Achim Pfosser ◽  
Georg Stachel ◽  
Rabea Hinkel ◽  
...  

Recruitment of endothelial progenitor cells to the sites of ischemia is a prerequisite for efficient therapeutic neovascularization via vasculogenesis. Chemokines play a major role in the homing of EPCs at the ischemic vasculature, a mechanism fading in chronic ischemia. To overcome this limitation, we constructed an artificial adhesion molecule consisting of a GPI-anchor, a fractalkine-backbone and an SDF-1 head (SDF-1-fra-GPI), which was applied for enhanced recruitment of embryonic EPCs (eEPCs: CXCR4++, Tie2++, Thrombomodulin++, CD34-, MHCI-, vWF inducible, eNOS inducible) in vitro and in vivo . Methods: In a flow chamber adhesion assay, Control plasmids (pcDNA or GPI-SDF-1 cDNA) were compared to the SDF-1-fra-GPI construct for eEPC recruitment 24h after liposomal transfection of rat endothelial cells. In vivo, in rabbits (n=5 per group) at day 7 (d7) after femoral artery excision, 1 mg of the SDF-1-fra-GPI or eGFP cDNA was transfected into the ischemic limb. At d9, ischemic hindlimbs were retroinfused with 5x10 6 eEPCs. Angiography was performed for collateral quantification and frame count score at d9 and d37 (% of d9), capillary density was assessed via PECAM-1-staining (capillaries/muscle fiber = c/mf). Results: In vitro, eEPC adhesion (16±12 cells/field) was increased to a higher extent by SDF-1-fra-GPI (79±13) than SDF1-GPI (54±8) or control vector (37±8). In vivo , eEPC adhesion in the ischemic hindlimb after SDF-1-fra-GPI transfection compared to mock transfection (30±3 vs. 9±1 cells/field). Whereas capillary density was unaffected (1.66±0.30 SDF-1-Fra-GPI vs. 1.56±0.29 eEPCs), collateral growth (152±10% SDF-1-fra-GPI vs. 124±13%) as well as perfusion score (198±17% SDF-1-fra-GPI vs.160±6% eEPCs) further increased after SDF-1-fra-GPI transfection (controls: 1.24±0.12 c/mf, collaterals 105±8%, perfusion score 112±11%). We conclude that recruitment of EPCs expressing CXCR4 (the SDF-1 receptor) may benefit from pre-treatment of the recipient vasculature with SDF-1-Fra-GPI, an artificial adhesion molecule. This approach might be valuable for enhancing EPC recruitment in the scenario of therapeutic neovascular-ization of chronic ischemic syndromes.


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