血小板内皮细胞黏附分子的剪接体在胚胎干细胞血管形成过程中的表达

目的探讨血小板内皮细胞黏附分子(PECAM)1的剪接体在胚胎干细胞分化过程中的表达规律。方法体外培养胚胎干细胞,在细胞因子的作用下形成胚胎样小体(EB);然后将EB种植到胶原中,在细胞因子的作用下诱导出芽性血管新生。分别利用免疫组织化学、流式细胞术、逆转录聚合酶链反应等方法检测胚胎干细胞及其分化过程中PECAM1、Oct4及胚胎阶段特异性抗原(SSEA)1的表达。应用克隆分析的方法检测不同的PECAM1剪接体在EB形成和出芽性血管新生过程中的表达分布。结果PECAM1主要表达在胚胎干细胞细胞连结部位。随着胚胎干细胞的分化,Oct4及SSEA1表达下降。胚胎干细胞表达8种PECAM1的剪接体,包括全长、Δ12、Δ14、Δ15、Δ12&14、Δ12&15、Δ14&15、Δ12&14&15,其中Δ15和Δ14&15表达水平最高。在胚胎干细胞形成EB和出芽性血管新生过程中,剪接体表达水平发生变化,其中Δ12&14&15的表达明显上升,Δ15表达下降。结论未分化的胚胎干细胞表达PECAM1,剪接体的表达变化可能参与了胚胎干细胞的血管形成。

Expression of alternatively spliced isoforms of platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 of embryonic stem cells during vasculogenesis and angiogenesis

OBJECTIVE: To study the expression of alternatively spliced isoforms of platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1/CD31) of embryonic stem cells (ES cells) during vasculogenesis and angiogenesis. METHODS: Mouse ES cells of the line J1 were cultured. Another ES cells were cultured in differentiation medium to induce the formation of embryonic bodies (EBs). Then the ES cells with PECAM-1 and EBs were inoculated with methylcellulose into Petri dish, containing cell growth factor, VEGF, bFGF, EPO, and IL-6 and the ES cells cultured for 11 days were inoculated in the Petri dish with collagen for 72 hours so as to induce sprouting angiogenesis. Immunofluorescence analysis, RT-PCR, and flow cytometry were used to detect the expression of PECAM-1, Oct-4, and stage-specific embryonic antigen (SSEA)-1 in the undifferentiated ES cells, EBs, and EB sprouting. In order to delineate the alternatively spliced cytoplasmic domain isoforms of PECAM-1 specific primers were designed to span the exon-exon junctions in the regions of alternative splicing. In order to amplify the cytoplasmic domains of all possible PECAM-1 isoforms a sense primer spanning the border of exons 9 and 10 within the cytoplasmic domain and an antisense primer spanning the border of exon 16 and 3'-untranslated region were used. Then the PCR products of the cytoplasmic domain underwent subsequent sequencing to analyze the expression of the 8 known alternatively splice isoforms of PECAM-1. RESULTS: The ES cells expressed high level PECAM-1 that was mainly located at the cell-cell junctions. The SSEA-1 and Oct-4 levels rapidly decreased along with the differentiation of the ES cells. All 8 known alternatively splice isoforms of PECAM-1 were expressed in the ES cells and the EB sprouting, the expression of Delta14%15 and Delta12&14&15 being the highest. The expression level of Delta12&14&15 increased markedly and the expression of Delta15 decreased along with the differentiation of ES cells. CONCLUSION: PECAM-1 is a constitutive feature of undifferentiated ES cells. Its changes in splice form mark the differentiation and may participate in vasculogenesis and angiogenesis.