内皮祖细胞在新血管形成中的作用及其影响因素

内皮祖细胞是血管内皮的前体细胞,具有迁移,增殖、分化、黏附和吞噬功能,在体内外均可以诱导分化为成熟的内皮细胞,参与血管损伤的修复,病理及生理性新生血管的形成等过程,从而在多种心血管疾病、器官移植、肿瘤发生发展中起到重要作用。本文就EPC的特性、功能,在血管新生中所起的作用及其影响因素做一综述,以期为更深入的研究EPC提供依据。     

内皮祖细胞及其在组织工程中的应用

目前,组织工程化血管的构建和工程化组织器官的血管化因内皮种子细胞的扩增能力不足和生物活性不强而受到限制。内皮祖细胞(EPC)是内皮细胞的前体细胞。出生后,EPC主要存在于骨髓,可向外周血液缓慢释放,参与机体缺血组织的血管重建和损伤血管的重新内皮化。现对EPC的来源、分布、表型特征、动员、分化、归巢、分离、培养与鉴定等生物学特性和EPC在组织工程中的应用进行了全面的综述,并指出目前存在的问题和研究方向。     

mESC衍生内皮祖细胞定向分化为血管内皮细胞促伤口愈合

缺血性功能障碍是重要的全球健康问题。血管内皮细胞 (vascular endothelial cell, VEC) 在血管生成和创面修复中发挥关键作用,血管重建不足可导致慢性不愈合伤口。因此,了解有效的血管内皮细胞生成策略有助于受损组织中的血管再生。胚胎干细胞 (embryonic stem cell, ESC) 在组织的内皮化研究中应用广泛。内皮祖细胞 (endothelial progenitor cell, EPC) 是血管内皮细胞发育中不可或缺的部分。本研究目的在于找到一种小鼠胚胎干细胞 (mouse embryonic stem cell, mESC) 衍生为内皮祖细胞的快速、易筛选且高重复性的方法,并从内皮祖细胞定向分化中获得存活率高和功能性好的血管内皮细胞。结果表明,胚胎干细胞通过10 ng/mL VEGF和5 ng/mL bFGF定向诱导分化为增殖能力强的“铺路石”样祖细胞。同时,差异贴壁法有助于EPC的筛选。而EPC可诱导3 d的祖细胞高表达CD133和CD34(相对表达量分别为0.88 ± 0.04和2.12 ± 0.02);采用acctuse酶消化祖细胞,并在50 ng/mL VEGF和25 ng/mL bFGF的条件下诱导7 d分化为血管内皮样细胞,该细胞不仅高表达内皮细胞标志基因CD31、CD144、LAMA5、Tek、KDR和vWF,高表达标志蛋白CD31、CD144、LAMA5(相对表达量分别为1.07 ± 0.03、0.60 ± 0.02和0.70 ± 0.02),而且具有良好的迁移、成管和Weibel Palade (W-P) 小体形成能力。随后,将PBS、EPC和VEC分别应用于大小相同的创面治疗,EPC和VEC均能加快组织愈合程度(相对愈合率分别为78.93 ± 75.35%、95.57 ± 83.73%和100.00 ± 0.00%),VEC明显增强了伤口的血管生成能力和炎症反应。该研究初步证实,mESC衍生的EPC定向诱导7 d后可分化为血管内皮细胞。此内皮细胞具有较好的组织修复功能,干细胞促进血管生成的生理途径有望成为组织重塑的新靶点。     

内皮祖细胞分离培养及应用技术新进展

内皮祖细胞(Endothelial progenitor cells,EPCs)是能够增殖、迁移、粘附并分化为血管内皮细胞潜能的一种原始细胞,在修复血管内皮和促进血管生成中具有重要的作用。EPC来源于骨髓,存在于骨髓、外周血、脐带血,新研究表明在脂肪组织、心肌中也能发现EPC的存在。EPC与干细胞的细胞表面标志物相似,功能上亦接近干细胞,但不具有自我更新的功能。近年来EPC已成为热点问题,对疾病诊断,预后判断和靶向治疗方面发挥重要作用,在冠状动脉粥样硬化性疾病、糖尿病血管病变、恶性肿瘤等治疗中全身或局部注射EPC具有更广泛的前景和应用价值。但关于分离培养EPC的方法及细胞表面标志物不完全相同,报道较少,至今尚没有形成统一的标准,本文就对于内皮祖细胞基本现状、分离培养技术、分选鉴定及临床应用方面做一综述。     

内皮细胞粘附分子与血管壁通透性

内皮细胞是血管壁的主要通透屏障,对血管壁通透性有多种调节作用。细胞粘附分参与细胞间连接形成以及细胞－基底膜间的粘附,与内皮层连续完整性以及通透性密切相关。参与内皮细胞中间连接的粘附分子有三大家庭,即整合素家庭、钙依赖性粘附素家族和免疫球蛋白家族,对这些粘附分子家族的研究有助于阐明内皮细胞损伤修复、新生血管形成、血管通透性调节以及循环血细胞游出的机制。     

内皮祖细胞与血管重新内皮化

血管内皮是循环血液和血管壁组织间的一层天然屏障,在维持血管的正常形态和功能中起重要作用。内皮受损后可引起炎症反应、单核细胞浸润和血管平滑肌细胞增生,促发动脉粥样硬化和再狭窄。因此,直接修复受损血管内皮,促使血管重新内皮化已经成为防止动脉粥样硬化及再狭窄领域的重要课题。大量研究表明,内皮祖细胞(EPC)参与受损血管的重新内皮化。该文就内皮祖细胞的来源、鉴定、参与重新内皮化进行综述。     

小鼠骨髓高增殖潜能内皮祖细胞的培养与纯化（简报）

1997年Asahara等在人外周血中发现内皮祖细胞（endothelial progenitorcell．EPC）,随后有文献报道,从骨髓中分离出EPC．异体骨髓移植研究显示成体外周血EPC来源于骨髓。许多作者报告EPC参与生理性和病理性血管新生．具有潜在的临床应用前景。目前关于EPC的不少基本生物学问题尚不完全清楚,其生理和病理意义也有争议。     

内皮祖细胞在血管组织工程研究中的应用现状

组织工程血管是修复紫绀型先心病右心室流出道的潜在替代材料,实验研究表明外周血内皮祖细胞(endothelial progenitor cell,EPC)可作为构建组织工程血管的良好种子细胞。现阶段国内外对组织工程血管的研究方兴未艾,EPC在血管组织工程研究中的应用还处在体外培养或动物实验阶段,尚无临床应用报道。近来某些基础研究的成果对于新生血管的形成和EPC的自动募集机制有了合理的解释,其中缺氧被认为是重要的始动因素,这些研究成果也为EPC作为种子细胞应用于血管组织工程提供了理论基础。所以,阐明EPC的低氧诱导机制及其在血管组织工程的应用必将有助于复杂紫绀型先心病的外科治疗。本文主要介绍了目前该领域研究现状及相关研究基础的进展,并总结提出了在EPC研究和未来临床应用中需解决的问题。     

内皮祖细胞在炎症损伤修复中的作用和机制

内皮祖细胞（endothelial progenitor cells,EPCs）是出生后,可以在机体内分化为成熟内皮细胞的一种前体细胞,主要来源于骨髓。多种伴有血管内皮细胞损伤的疾病都可引起外周血EPCs数量变化。有研究显示EPCs参与炎性损伤修复,并且外周血EPCs数量与血管内皮损伤程度和疾病预后存在一定的相关关系。EPCs。通过动员、迁移、归巢和分化等步骤修复内皮。炎症反应中受损组织释放的基质细胞衍生因子、血管内皮生长因子可与EPCs相应的受体结合,通过内皮型一氧化氮合酶、基质金属蛋白酶9等途径调节内皮修复过程,这是EPCs分化为内皮细胞过程的主要调控机制。此外,EPCs还可通过旁分泌机制促进相邻的内皮细胞增殖分化。目前,EPCs在炎症领域仅用于内皮炎性损伤和疾病预后评估,但是EPCs在心血管疾病和组织工程领域应用研究的成功,为EPCs在炎症反应的诊断和治疗提供了新的思路。     

角膜内皮细胞再生研究新进展

人角膜内皮细胞的主要功能是维持角膜透明性,角膜内皮单层发育成熟形成细胞接触后,内皮细胞会停止分裂增殖,但并没有退出细胞周期。角膜内皮细胞的增殖有多种因素的参与和影响,接触抑制和G1期抑制使细胞增殖暂时停止;细胞因子TGF-β2抑制人角膜内皮细胞进入细胞周期S期,而EGF、FGF、NGF则能够促进细胞的增殖;ROCK抑制剂Y-27632能够促进角膜内皮细胞的粘连,有助于内皮细胞的损伤修复。体外培养角膜内皮前体细胞、诱导多潜能干细胞向角膜内皮细胞分化,为今后治疗角膜内皮失代偿提供了新方向。     

Physical exercise attenuates age-associated reduction in endothelium-reparative capacity of endothelial progenitor cells by increasing CXCR4/JAK-2 signaling in healthy men

Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) play an important role in repairing endothelial injury. Aging is associated with EPC dysfunction. Physical exercise has a beneficial impact on EPC activity. However, whether physical exercise can enhance the endothelial repair capacity of EPCs in healthy men with aging is not clear. Here, we investigated the effects of physical exercise on reendothelialization capacity and CXC chemokine receptor four (CXCR4) signaling in human EPCs. Before and after 12-week exercise, EPCs were isolated from elderly and young men. In vitro function and in vivo reendothelialization capacity of EPCs in a mouse model of carotid artery injury were measured. The expression of CXCR4 and its downstream signaling target Janus kinase-2 (JAK-2) were determined. Before exercise, in vitro function and in vivo reendothelialization capacity of EPCs were significantly reduced in elderly men compared with young men. After exercise intervention, in vitro function and in vivo reendothelialization capacity of EPCs from elderly men were markedly enhanced. Physical exercise increased a higher CXCR4 protein expression and higher JAK-2 phosphorylation levels of EPCs. The augmentation in reendothelialization capacity of EPCs was closely correlated with the upregulation of CXCR4/JAK-2 signaling and improvement of endothelial function. This study demonstrates for the first time that physical exercise attenuates age-associated reduction in endothelium-reparative capacity of EPCs by increasing CXCR4/JAK-2 signaling. Our findings provide insight into the novel mechanisms of physical exercise as a lifestyle intervention strategy to promote vascular health in aging population.     

Mouse Tcf3 represses canonical Wnt signaling by either competing for β-catenin binding or through occupation of DNA-binding sites

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with moderate-to-severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). More than 44% of these patients present with generalized atherosclerosis at autopsy. It is accepted that endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) participate in the repair of dysfunctional endothelium and thus protects against atherosclerosis. However, whether COPD affects the repairing capacity of EPCs is unknown. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine whether and how EPCs are involved in the vascular repair process in patients with COPD. In our study, EPCs from 25 COPD and 16 control patients were isolated by Ficoll density-gradient centrifugation and identified using fluorescence activated cell sorting. Transwell Migratory Assay was performed to determine the number of EPC colony-forming units and the adherent capacity late-EPCs to human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Following arterial damage in NOD/SCID mice, the number of EPCs incorporated at the injured vascular site was determined using a fluorescence microscope. We found that the number of EPC clusters and cell migration, as well as the expression of CXCR4, was significantly decreased in patients with COPD. Additionally, the number of late-EPCs adherent to HUVEC tubules was significantly reduced, and fewer VEGFR2(+)-staining cells were incorporated into the injured site in COPD patients. Our study demonstrates that EPC capacity of repair was affected in COPD patients, which may contribute to altered vascular endothelium in this patient population.     

Akap200 suppresses the effects of Dv-cbl expression in the Drosophila eye

The enhancement of re-endothelialisation is a critical therapeutic option for repairing injured blood vessels. Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are the major source of cells that participate in endothelium repair and contribute to re-endothelialisation by reducing neointima formation after vascular injury. The over-expression of the inhibitor of differentiation or DNA binding 1 (Id1) significantly improved EPC proliferation. This study aimed to investigate the effects of Id1 on the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB)/survivin signalling pathway and its significance in promoting EPC proliferation in vitro. Spleen-derived EPCs were cultured as previously described. Id1 was presented at low levels in EPCs, and was rapidly up-regulated by stimulation with vascular endothelial growth factor. We demonstrated that transient transfection of Id1 into EPCs activated the PI3K/Akt/NFκB/survivin signalling pathway and promoted EPC proliferation. The proliferation of EPCs was extensively inhibited by silencing of endogenous Id1, and knockdown of Id1 expression led to suppression of PI3K/Akt/NFκB/survivin signalling pathway in EPCs. In addition, blockade by the PI3K-specific inhibitor LY294002, Akt inhibitor, the NFκB inhibitor BAY 11-7082, the survivin inhibitor Curcumin, or the survivin inhibitor YM155 reduced the effects of Id1 transfection. These results suggest that the Id1/PI3K/Akt/NFκB/survivin signalling pathway plays a critical role in EPC proliferation. The Id1/PI3K/Akt/NFκB/survivin signalling pathway may represent a novel therapeutic target in the prevention of restenosis after vascular injury.     

血管再生中的内皮祖细胞

循环血液里存在一种被称为内皮祖细胞(endothelial progenitor cells,EPCs)的祖细胞亚群,具有在体内外分化为成熟内皮细胞的能力。根据内皮祖细胞与其他血液细胞的粘附能力的差异和内皮祖细胞的抗原特异性,内皮祖细胞可通过贴壁培养和免疫磁珠筛选而分离获得。内皮祖细胞可特异性表达三种祖细胞分子标志：CD133、CD34和血管内皮生长因子受体-2。当内皮祖细胞分化为成熟内皮细胞后,血小板内皮细胞粘附分子-1(CD31)、血管内皮粘附素(VE-cadherin,又称CD144)和Ⅷ因子(vWF)表达将上调。越来越多的证据显示,内皮祖细胞有利于体内内皮损伤后修复和血管再生。我们的研究发现,内皮祖细胞可修复apoE-缺陷小鼠血管移植物中的损伤内皮并且在动脉血管外膜中存在大量的血管祖细胞。然而,在机体的血管再生和动脉硬化的形成进程中,这些内皮祖细胞的作用和机制还不太明确。另外,有关机体内相应心血管疾病危险因素是如何影响内皮祖细胞功能的机制也不清楚。因此,对内皮祖细胞的归巢、释放和粘附机制的进一步深入研究将有助于人们探索内皮祖细胞的基础理论和临床应用价值。     

Directing migration of endothelial progenitor cells with applied DC electric fields

Naturally-occurring, endogenous electric fields (EFs) have been detected at skin wounds, damaged tissue sites and vasculature. Applied EFs guide migration of many types of cells, including endothelial cells to migrate directionally. Homing of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) to an injury site is important for repair of vasculature and also for angiogenesis. However, it has not been reported whether EPCs respond to applied EFs. Aiming to explore the possibility to use electric stimulation to regulate the progenitor cells and angiogenesis, we tested the effects of direct-current (DC) EFs on EPCs. We first used immunofluorescence to confirm the expression of endothelial progenitor markers in three lines of EPCs. We then cultured the progenitor cells in EFs. Using time-lapse video microscopy, we demonstrated that an applied DC EF directs migration of the EPCs toward the cathode. The progenitor cells also align and elongate in an EF. Inhibition of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor signaling completely abolished the EF-induced directional migration of the progenitor cells. We conclude that EFs are an effective signal that guides EPC migration through VEGF receptor signaling in vitro. Applied EFs may be used to control behaviors of EPCs in tissue engineering, in homing of EPCs to wounds and to an injury site in the vasculature.     

The relative potency and safety of endothelial progenitor cells and unselected mononuclear cells for recovery from myocardial infarction and ischemia

Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are a subset of the total mononuclear cell population (tMNCs) that possess an enhanced potential for differentiation within the endothelial‐cell lineage. Typically, EPCs are selected from tMNCs via the expression of both hematopoietic stem‐cell markers and endothelial‐cell markers, such as CD34, or by culturing tMNCs in media selective for endothelial cells. Both EPCs and tMNCs participate in vascular growth and regeneration, and their potential use for treatment of myocardial injury or disease has been evaluated in early‐phase clinical studies. Direct comparisons between EPCs and tMNCs are rare, but the available evidence appears to favor EPCs, particularly CD34+ cells, and the potency of EPCs may be increased as much as 30‐fold through genetic modification. However, these observations must be interpreted with caution because clinical investigations of EPC therapy are ongoing. We anticipate that with continued development, EPC therapy will become a safe and effective treatment option for patients with acute myocardial infarction or chronic ischemic disease. J. Cell. Physiol. 219: 235–242, 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Production of endothelial progenitor cells obtained from human Wharton's jelly using different culture conditions

Endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) participate in revascularization and angiogenesis. EPC can be cultured in vitro from mononuclear cells of peripheral blood, umbilical cord blood or bone marrow; they also can be transdifferentiated from mesenchymal stem cells (MSC). We isolated EPCs from Wharton's jelly (WJ) using two methods. The first method was by obtaining MSC from WJ and characterizing them by flow cytometry and their adipogenic and osteogenic differentiation, then applying endothelial growth differentiating media. The second method was by direct culture of cells derived from WJ into endothelial differentiating media. EPCs were characterized by morphology, Dil-LDL uptake/UEA-1 immunostaining and testing the expression of endothelial markers by flow cytometry and RT-PCR. We found that MSC derived from WJ differentiated into endothelial-like cells using simple culture conditions with endothelium induction agents in the medium.