Sustained endothelial progenitor cell dysfunction after chronic hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension

Circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) contribute to neovascularization of ischemic tissues and repair of injured endothelium. The role of bone marrow-derived progenitor cells in hypoxia-induced pulmonary vascular remodeling and their tissue-engineering potential in pulmonary hypertension (PH) remain largely unknown. We studied endogenous mobilization and homing of EPCs in green fluorescent protein bone marrow chimeric mice exposed to chronic hypoxia, a common hallmark of PH. Despite increased peripheral mobilization, as shown by flow cytometry and EPC culture, bone marrow-derived endothelial cell recruitment in remodeling lung vessels was limited. Moreover, transfer of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2+/Sca-1+/CXCR-4+-cultured early-outgrowth EPCs failed to reverse PH, suggesting hypoxia-induced functional impairment of transferred EPCs. Chronic hypoxia decreased migration to stromal cell-derived factor-1alpha, adhesion to fibronectin, incorporation into a vascular network, and nitric oxide production (-41%, -29%, -30%, and -32%, respectively, vs. normoxic EPCs; p < .05 for all). The dysfunctional phenotype of hypoxic EPCs significantly impaired their neovascularization capacity in chronic hind limb ischemia, contrary to normoxic EPCs cultured in identical conditions. Mechanisms contributing to EPC dysfunction include reduced integrin alphav and beta1 expression, decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, and enhanced senescence. Novel insights from chronic hypoxia-induced EPC dysfunction may provide important cues for improved future cell repair strategies.     

Differentiation of endothelial progenitor cells into endothelial cells by heparin-modified supramolecular pluronic nanogels encapsulating bFGF and complexed with VEGF165 genes

Specific genes and growth factors are involved in stem cell differentiation. In this study, we fabricated a delivery carrier for both protein and gene delivery that was introduced into human endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs). The highly negative charge carried by the heparin-modified pluronic nanogels allowed for binding to growth factors and localization in the core of nanogels. The residues of negatively charged heparin can complex with positively charged cationic materials, making it suitable for gene delivery. Supramolecular nanogels can be easily encapsulated the hydrophilic drugs and highly positive surfaces can be complexed with negative charge carrying plasmid DNA (pDNA). The size distribution, gel retardation, and denaturation of encapsulated growth factors and supramolecular nanogels modified with heparin were evaluated. The supramolecular nanogels containing basic fibroblast growth factors and complexing VEGF165 pDNA internalized into EPCs have been well formed vascular formation in matrigel gels. Proteins and genes introduced into EPCs using nanogels promoted neovascularization in an animal model of limb ischemia. EPCs that differentiated into endothelial cells both in vitro and in vivo were tested.     

Hypoxia-induced expression of vascular endothelial growth factor by retinal glial cells promotes in vitro angiogenesis

To determine whether retinal glial cells (RGCs) participate in the paracrine regulation of retinal neovascularization, we investigated whether cultured RGCs synthesize and release vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) under normoxic or hypoxic conditions. Northern blot analysis demonstrated that cultured RGCs transcribed both VEGF mRNA with two molecular bands approximately 3.9 and 4.3 kilobases (kb), and bFGF mRNA with approximately 3.7 and 6.0 kb. The expression of VEGF mRNA was greatly enhanced by hypoxic cultivation (2% oxygen) when compared with normoxic cultivation (20% oxygen), while the expression of bFGF mRNA by RGCs was not significantly affected by hypoxia. The effects of RGCs-conditioned media (CM) on tritiated-thymidine incorporation and in vitro angiogenesis by retinal capillary endothelial cells (RECs) in producing the formation of capillary-like tubes in type I collagen gels, were evident in the observation that RGCs-CM harvested after hypoxic cultivation significantly enhanced tritiated-thymidine incorporation (1.9 times, P<0.01) and in vitro angiogenesis (2.4 times, P<0.01) compared with the normoxic RGCs-CM. These enhancing effects of RGCs-CM at hypoxia were suppressed by anti-VEGF neutralizing antibody. Furthermore, RECs were shown to express mRNA encoding the VEGF receptor flt-1 by northern blot analysis. These results suggest that VEGF expressed by RGCs under hypoxic conditions plays an integral role in the initiation and progression of retinal neovascularization in a paracrine manner.     

Fibroblast growth factor-1-induced ERK1/2 signaling reciprocally regulates proliferation and smooth muscle cell differentiation of ligament-derived endothelial progenitor cell-like cells

The periodontal ligament (PDL) is a fibrous connective tissue located between the tooth root and the alveolar bone. We previously demonstrated that a single cell-derived culture of primarily cultured PDL fibroblasts has the potential to construct an endothelial cell (EC) marker-positive blood vessel-like structure, suggesting that the fibroblastic lineage cells in ligament tissue could act as the endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), which regenerate to construct a vascular system around the damaged ligament tissue. Moreover, we showed that EPC-like fibroblasts expressed not only EC markers but also smooth muscle cell (SMC) markers. Generally, an interaction between ECs and SMCs regulates blood vessel development and remodeling, and is required for the formation of a mature and functional vascular network. However, the mechanism underlying the SMC differentiation of the ligament-derived EPC-like fibroblasts remains to be clarified. In this study, we showed that suppression of fibroblast growth factor 1 (FGF-1)-induced extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) signaling with the MAPK/ERK kinase (MEK) inhibitor U0126 completely abolished the FGF-1-induced proliferation of the ligament-derived EPC-like fibroblasts. In addition, U0126 treatment of FGF-1-stimulated ligament-derived EPC-like fibroblasts significantly induced the SMC differentiation of the cells. Thus, FGF-1-induced ERK1/2 signaling not only promoted the proliferation of the ligament-derived EPC-like fibroblasts, but also suppressed the SMC differentiation of the cells, suggesting that FGF-1 controls the construction of a vascular network around the ligament tissue by regulating the proliferation and SMC differentiation of the EPC-like cells through ERK-mediated signaling.     

人脐血源性内皮祖细胞血管发生活性及其参与人恶性胶质瘤细胞异种移植瘤血管新生的作用

目的 观察人脐血源性内皮祖细胞(EPC)血管发生能力和在恶性胶质瘤血管新生过程中的作用.方法 应用密度梯度离心法分离新鲜人脐血的单个核细胞,接种于EGM-2培养液中培养获得EPC.取生长到第7～10天的细胞进行CD34和VEGFR-2免疫荧光双标染色.检测血管内皮生长因子(VEGF)刺激下EPC增殖活性、迁移能力和体外形成小管样结构的能力.采用人恶性胶质瘤细胞系U87在免疫缺陷小鼠进行皮下移植,于接种肿瘤后第7天经尾静脉注射EPC(每只5×103),并于接种肿瘤后第28天取材检测肿瘤微血管和EPC组织分布及定位,采用抗人CD31和抗鼠CD31免疫荧光双标记肿瘤微血管,计算人源性EPC来源的血管占肿瘤血管网的比例.结果 培养的细胞在第7～10天时可见条索样结构,生长并逐渐融合形成铺路石样排列的单层细胞,表达内皮细胞标记物CD34和VEGFR-2.在VEGF刺激下EPC具有较强的增殖活性、迁移能力和体外形成小管样结构的能力.外源性EPC能特异性归巢到异种移植瘤组织并形成新生血管,占肿瘤血管网的(18.68±1.32)%.结论 EPC在体内外具有形成血管能力,并参与异种移植瘤血管新生,提示其在恶性肿瘤血管新生过程中具有重要作用,并可能参与肿瘤微血管构筑表型异质性.     

Functional endothelial progenitor cells derived from adipose tissue show beneficial effect on cell therapy of traumatic brain injury

Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are responsible for postnatal vasculogenesis in physiological and pathological neovascularization. Adipose tissue (AT) is an abundant source of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which have multipotent differentiation ability. We successfully derived EPCs from AT, which maintained a strong proliferative capacity and demonstrated the characteristic endothelial function of uptaking of acetylated low-density lipoprotein. They formed tube-like structures in vitro. Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene expression in EPCs was similar to that in mature endothelial cells. Transplantation of EPCs derived from AT after the acute phase was applied in rats with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Transplanted EPCs participated in the neovascularization of injured brain. Improving functional recovery, reducement of deficiency volume of brain, host astrogliosis and inflammation were found. These results suggest that adult AT derived stem cells can be induced to functional EPCs and have beneficial effect on cell therapy.     

蛋白激酶D1促血管新生的体内外实验分析

 目的: 探讨蛋白激酶D1(PKD1)促血管新生的作用,为心肌梗死等缺血性疾病以PKD1为治疗靶点提供新的思路。方法: 体外培养、分离和鉴定内皮祖细胞(EPCs),观察PKD1及其特异性阻断剂CID755673对EPCs中血管内皮生长因子(VEGF)及其受体KDR表达的影响。复制大鼠心肌梗死模型,分析PKD1及CID755673干预对大鼠心肌梗死后受损心肌组织病理形态学、微血管和内皮细胞变化以及VEGF、KDR表达的影响。结果: EPCs体外细胞培养实验表明,PKD1可明显上调EPCs中VEGF和KDR的表达水平。大鼠心肌梗死动物实验结果表明,PKD1干预后的大鼠心肌组织排列较为有序,结构较为清晰,内皮细胞胞膜光滑、完整,周细胞可见,心肌组织中的VEGF和KDR表达水平显著上调。结论: PKD1有明显的促血管新生作用,该作用可能是通过VEGF介导而实现的。     

Mechanisms underlying acceleration of blood flow recovery in ischemic limbs by macrophage colony-stimulating factor

Recently we reported that macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) can mobilize endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) from the bone marrow into the peripheral blood, resulting in an increase in the number of blood vessels and augmentation of blood flow in the ischemia-induced legs. M-CSF accelerates neovascularization of ischemic lesions resulting from the mobilization of EPCs. In the present paper, we analyze the mechanisms underling the mobilization of EPCs by M-CSF. M-CSF augments the production of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) from the bone marrow cells, especially from myeloid lineage cells. In vivo administration of anti-VEGF antibody abrogates both the acceleration of the recovery of blood flow in the ischemia-induced limbs by M-CSF and the augmentation of the mobilization of EPCs induced by M-CSF. These results suggest that the M-CSF contributes to rapid recovery of blood flow in ischemic lesions by mobilization of EPCs from the bone marrow through augmentation of VEGF production in the bone marrow and that the VEGF is mainly produced by myeloid lineage cells.     

内皮祖细胞与肿瘤血管新生

血管内皮祖细胞（EPCs）是内皮细胞的前体细胞,特异性表达CD34,CD133和VEGFR-2,具有向血管内皮细胞分化的潜能。EPCs主要位于骨髓和外周血。肿瘤的生长和转移依赖于肿瘤血管新生。肿瘤细胞可合成和释放多种细胞因子,在不同因子的趋化作用下EPCs从骨髓动员至外周血循环,然后迁移和定居到肿瘤组织,经细胞因子诱导分化为成熟内皮细胞,参与肿瘤血管新生。VEGF/VEGFR-2信号途径在EPCs参与的肿瘤血管新生方面起重要作用。     

IFATS collection: Adipose stromal cells adopt a proangiogenic phenotype under the influence of hypoxia

Evolving evidence suggests a possible role for adipose stromal cells (ASCs) in adult neovascularization, although the specific cues that stimulate their angiogenic behavior are poorly understood. We evaluated the effect of hypoxia, a central mediator of new blood vessel development within ischemic tissue, on proneovascular ASC functions. Murine ASCs were exposed to normoxia (21% oxygen) or hypoxia (5%, 1% oxygen) for varying lengths of time. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) secretion by ASCs increased as an inverse function of oxygen tension, with progressively higher VEGF expression at 21%, 5%, and 1% oxygen, respectively. Greater VEGF levels were also associated with longer periods in culture. ASCs were able to migrate towards stromal cell-derived factor (SDF)-1, a chemokine expressed by ischemic tissue, with hypoxia augmenting ASC expression of the SDF-1 receptor (CXCR4) and potentiating ASC migration. In vivo, ASCs demonstrated the capacity to proliferate in response to a hypoxic insult remote from their resident niche, and this was supported by in vitro studies showing increasing ASC proliferation with greater degrees of hypoxia. Hypoxia did not significantly alter the expression of endothelial surface markers by ASCs. However, these cells did assume an endothelial phenotype as evidenced by their ability to tubularize when seeded with differentiated endothelial cells on Matrigel. Taken together, these data suggest that ASCs upregulate their proneovascular activity in response to hypoxia, and may harbor the capacity to home to ischemic tissue and function cooperatively with existing vasculature to promote angiogenesis.     

Role of bone morphogenetic protein 2 in the crosstalk between endothelial progenitor cells and mesenchymal stem cells

In recent studies, we and others have demonstrated that bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) promotes vascularization, inhibits hypoxic cell death of cancer cells and may be involved in tumor angiogenesis. The activation of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) represents a crucial factor in the process of postnatal neovascularization. BMP-2 protein expression has been detected in several tumor tissues and BMP receptors are expressed in EPCs and MSCs. We therefore analysed the influence of recombinant human (rh) BMP-2 on the function of human EPCs and human bone marrow derived MSCs. Treatment of EPCs isolated from peripheral blood with rhBMP-2 did not induce any significant changes in EPC viability but induced a dose-dependent activation of chemotaxis. Incubation of human MSCs isolated from bone marrow aspirates with rhBMP-2 revealed no significant effect on MSC proliferation. Incubation of EPCs with supernatants of MSCs significantly increased the cell viability compared to controls cultivated with endothelial cell medium. Protein and mRNA expression of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family member, placental growth factor (PlGF), which is known to be involved in the expansion and recruitment of EPCs, was induced in MSCs after treatment with rhBMP-2. We conclude that tumor- associated BMP-2 secretion might promote tumor angiogenesis by chemotactic effects on EPCs circulating in the peripheral blood and by increased secretion of paracrine angiogenic growth factors including PlGF in MSCs of the tumor stroma.     

The Rho kinase inhibitor fasudil augments the number of functional endothelial progenitor cells in ex vivo cultures

Rho kinase (ROCK) has been implicated in the regulation of vascular tone, endothelial dysfunction, inflammation and remodeling. Endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) have been proven to have the efficacy of therapeutic neovascularization in ischemia. However, the scarcity of EPCs limits cell therapy. Using an in vitro EPC culture assay, Y27632 was found to increase the number of adherent EPCs. In this study, we investigated the effect of fasudil, another ROCK inhibitor being used in the clinic, on EPC number and examined whether EPCs expanded by fasudil are functional in vitro and in vivo. In ex vivo cultures of EPCs, fasudil effectively increased the number of ac-LDL/UEA-1 positive cells as well as adherent cells, in contrast to H89, a less selective ROCK inhibitor. Fasudil also increased EPC numbers in culture up to 10 μM, in a dose-dependent manner. When EPCs expanded with fasudil were examined for the migratory activity toward stromal cell-derived factor-1 and vascular endothelial growth factor, these cells retained functional properties in migration, albeit with some decrease. Fasudil-cultured EPCs labeled with PKH26 showed an activity similar to non-treated EPCs for cellular adhesion into an endothelial cell (EC) monolayer and incorporation into capillary-like structures formed by ECs. Finally, when EPCs cultured with fasudil (106 cells/mouse) were injected into ischemic limbs, these cells showed a blood flow recovery at a level comparable to non-treated control EPCs and increased neovascularization. Therefore, these data suggest that the ROCK inhibitor fasudil can provide a beneficial effect in the treatment of ischemic diseases by increasing EPC numbers.     

Polarized Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Secretion by Human Retinal Pigment Epithelium and Localization of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptors on the Inner Choriocapillaris : Evidence for a Trophic Paracrine Relation

The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) maintains the choriocapillaris (CC) in the normal eye and is involved in the pathogenesis of choroidal neovascularization in age-related macular degeneration. Vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF) is produced by differentiated human RPE cells in vitro and in vivo and may be involved in paracrine signaling between the RPE and the CC. We investigated whether there is a polarized secretion of VEGF by RPE cells in vitro. Also, the localization of VEGF receptors in the human retina was investigated. We observed that highly differentiated human RPE cells, cultured on transwell filters in normoxic conditions, produced two- to sevenfold more VEGF toward their basolateral side as compared to the apical side. In hypoxic conditions, VEGF-A secretion increased to the basal side only, resulting in a three- to 10-fold higher basolateral secretion. By immunohistochemistry in 30 human eyes and in two cynomolgus monkey eyes, KDR (VEGFR-2) and flt-4 (VEGFR-3) were preferentially localized at the side of the CC endothelium facing the RPE cell layer, whereas flt-1 (VEGFR-1) was found on the inner CC and on other choroidal vessels. Our results indicate that RPE secretes VEGF toward its basal side where its receptor KDR is located on the adjacent CC endothelium, suggesting a role of VEGF in a paracrine relation, possibly in cooperation with flt-4 and its ligand. This can explain the known trophic function of the RPE in the maintenance of the CC and its fenestrated permeable phenotype and points to a role for VEGF in normal eye functioning. Up-regulated basolateral VEGF secretion by RPE in hypoxia or loss of polarity of VEGF production may play a role in the pathogenesis of choroidal neovascularization.     

人胚胎主动脉血管内皮祖细胞的分离、培养及鉴定

目的研究人胚胎血管内皮祖细胞(EPCs)分离、扩增及鉴定的方法,并评价其分化成血管内皮细胞的能力,为人胚胎血管来源EPCs作为干细胞技术治疗疾病的细胞材料提供依据。方法从14周龄流产人胚胎主动脉中应用胶原酶消化法分离获得EPCs,用含有碱性成纤维细胞生长因子、表皮生长因子和白血病抑制因子的低血清培养基体外扩增培养EPCs。分离培养的EPCs鉴定采用细胞免疫荧光染色、RT-PCR及流式细胞术,检测EPCs细胞的特异标志CD133、CD34和血管内皮细胞生长因子受体2(VEGFR2)。培养的EPCs应用VEGF进行诱导分化,并评价其分化成为血管内皮细胞的能力。结果分离的人胚胎主动脉EPCs细胞表达EPCs的标志分子CD133、CD34和VEGFR2。EPCs在体外特定低血清培养条件下表现很强的增殖能力。培养的EPCs细胞经过VEGF诱导后,细胞表达CD133明显降低,表达vWF、CD31和ELAM-1增强,并且体外成管能力和摄取Ac-LDL能力增强,表明细胞分化成为血管内皮细胞。结论人胚胎早期主动脉的EPCs具有很好的体外自我更新能力和分化成为血管内皮细胞的潜能,可作为EPCs治疗疾病的细胞材料。     

Bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells are a major determinant of nascent tumor neovascularization

Tumors build vessels by cooption of pre-existing vasculature and de novo recruitment of bone marrow (BM)-derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs). However, the contribution and the functional role of EPCs in tumor neoangiogenesis are controversial. Therefore, by using genetically marked BM progenitor cells, we demonstrate the precise spatial and temporal contribution of EPCs to the neovascularization of three transplanted and one spontaneous breast tumor in vivo using high-resolution microscopy and flow cytometry. We show that early tumors recruit BM-derived EPCs that differentiate into mature BM-derived endothelial cells (ECs) and luminally incorporate into a subset of sprouting tumor neovessels. Notably, in later tumors, these BM-derived vessels are diluted with non-BM-derived vessels from the periphery, which accounts for purported differences in previously published reports. Furthermore, we show that specific ablation of BM-derived EPCs with alpha-particle-emitting anti-VE-cadherin antibody markedly impaired tumor growth associated with reduced vascularization. Our results demonstrate that BM-derived EPCs are critical components of the earliest phases of tumor neoangiogenesis.     

血管内皮生长因子(VEGF)对培养内皮细胞VEGF受体表达的影响

目的 :为探讨VEGF对培养内皮细胞 (EC)VEGF受体表达的影响。方法 :将培养的人脐静脉内皮细胞 (HUVEC)随机分为 4组 :( 1)正常对照组 ;( 2 )低氧培养组 ;( 3)VEGF 10ng/ml组 ;( 4)低氧 +VEGF10ng/ml组。HUVEC低氧培养参照Kuwara等介绍的方法并加以改进。HUVECVEGF受体的检测采用免疫组织化学方法。结果 :采用简易低氧培养法 ,48h内培养液氧分压维持在 5 8mmHg ;与对照组相比 ,低氧培养组、VEGF组和低氧 +VEGF组HUVECVEGF受体Flk 1/KDR阳性细胞数增多 ,强度增加 ;但未检测到VEGF受体Flt 1表达。结论 :低氧可使HUVEC表面的VEGF受体Flk 1/KDR表达增加 ,VEGF同源上调其受体Flk 1/KDR ,低氧和VEGF在调节VEGF受体Flk 1/KDR方面有协调作用。     

MS-818 accelerates mobilization of endothelial progenitor cells and differentiation to endothelial cells.

MS-818 that is a synthetic pyrimidine compound and shown to have neurotrophic actions, enhanced basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF)-induced angiogenesis in vivo. However, the mechanism and whether MS-818 affects endothelial cells (ECs) directly is not known. Here, the authors investigated whether MS-818 alone could induce angiogenesis and tried to clarify the mechanism of neovascularization by MS-818 in terms of angiogenesis and vasculogenesis. The authors show that MS-818 affects ECs directly and induces migration of and tube formation by ECs in vitro (angiogenesis). Furthermore, the authors demonstrate that MS-818 mobilizes endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) from the bone marrow and potentiates their differentiation to ECs (vasculogenesis). The effect of MS-818 on the endothelial differentiation was further confirmed with an in vitro differentiation system using mouse embryonic stem cells. MS-818 activates the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway but not the phosphoinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-Akt pathway in ECs. These results indicate that MS-818, a synthetic compound, promotes both angiogenesis and vasculogenesis.     

Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor,placental growth factor,and their receptors Flt-1 and KDR in human placenta under pathologic conditions

The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family and its receptors have multifunctional activities besides angiogenesis, and some of these molecules are induced by hypoxia/ischemia. They are known to be expressed in human placenta, but little is known about their involvement in pathologic conditions. We have investigated the expression patterns of VEGF, placental growth factor (PlGF), and their receptors fms-like tyrosine kinase (Flt-1) and kinase insert domain-containing region (KDR) in placentas with histopathological changes. Forty-two placentas from normal and complicated pregnancies delivered in the second and third trimesters were fixed with paraformaldehyde and embedded in paraffin. In situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry were performed on serial sections. In the villi with characteristic hypoxic/ischemic changes (HIC), including increased syncytial knots, infarction, or hypercapillarization, intense immunostaining for VEGF was detected in the media of blood vessels, and increased staining for KDR was demonstrated in the endothelial cells. Strong PlGF immunoreactivity was localized to the degenerative trophoblasts around the infarctions. Marked Flt-1 mRNA expression in the syncytiotrophoblast layers of HIC villi was identified, but some samples did not show ligand expression in these regions. Positive immunostaining for VEGF, PlGF, and Flt-1 was observed in infiltrated neutrophils and macrophages in the placentas with chorioamnionitis (CAM). These findings suggested that in the hypoxic/ischemic regions, VEGF and KDR expression is increased within the villous vessels by paracrine regulation, whereas the expression of PlGF and Flt-1 is enhanced in villous trophoblasts by autocrine regulation. The Flt-1 gene may also be up-regulated directly by hypoxia/ischemia independently of ligand mediation. Furthermore, the results indicated that VEGF and PlGF stimulate inflammatory cell migration by autocrine regulation via the Flt-1 receptor in the CAM placenta. Thus, various functions of VEGF family members participate in the development of pathologic changes in the placenta.