Long-Term Infection and Transformation of Dermal Microvascular Endothelial Cells by Human Herpesvirus 8

Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8) infects Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) spindle cells in situ, as well as the lesional endothelial cells considered to be spindle cell precursors. The HHV8 genome contains several oncogenes, suggesting that infection of endothelial and spindle cells could induce cellular transformation and tumorigenesis and promote the formation of KS lesions. To investigate the potential of HHV8 infection of endothelial cells to contribute to the development of KS, we have developed an in vitro model utilizing dermal microvascular endothelial cells that support significant HHV8 infection. In contrast to existing in vitro systems used to study HHV8 pathogenesis, the majority of dermal endothelial cells are infected with HHV8 and the viral genome is maintained indefinitely. Infection is predominantly latent, with a small percentage of cells supporting lytic replication, and latency is responsive to lytic induction stimuli. Infected endothelial cells develop a spindle shape resembling that of KS lesional cells and show characteristics of a transformed phenotype, including loss of contact inhibition and acquisition of anchorage-independent growth. These results describe a relevant model system in which to study virus-host interactions in vitro and demonstrate the ability of HHV8 to induce phenotypic changes in infected endothelial cells that resemble characteristics of KS spindle cells in vivo. Thus, our results are consistent with a direct role for HHV8 in the pathogenesis of KS.     

肿瘤饥饿疗法的新靶标——内分泌腺衍生血管内皮生长因子

“肿瘤饥饿疗法”是通过抑制促肿瘤血管新生细胞因子的作用,阻断肿瘤血管形成,最终实现“饿死”肿瘤细胞的一种治疗方法．内分泌腺衍生血管内皮生长因子(EG-VEGF)是在2001年被发现的一个组织选择性促血管新生因子．近年来的研究表明,EG-VEGF还兼有促进造血干细胞分化、刺激胃肠道收缩及影响肠神经系统发育等多种生理功能．EG-VEGF的异常表达与多种肿瘤及血管新生依赖性疾病的发生发展密切相关,有望作为相应的治疗靶点开发诊断及治疗试剂．本文对有关研究进展及应用前景作一简要综述．     

A Novel Biosensing System Using Biological Receptor for Analysis of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor

An immunosensor with rapid and ultrasensitive response for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been built up with 4-aminothiophenol (4-ATP) onto the gold surfaces. Quantitative analysis of VEGF was performed by recording the impedance changing of the gold electrode surface by binding of VEGF. The human vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 (VEGF-R1, Flt-1) was used as a biorecognition element for the first time in the literature. VEGF-R1 was covalently immobilized via 4-ATP self-assembled monolayer formed on gold thin film covered surface. Construction of the biosensor was carefully characterised by the techniques such as electrochemistry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. In order to characterize impedance data, Kramers–Kronig transform was performed on the experimental impedance data. The limit of detection of the immunosensor for qualitative detection was 100 pg/mL while the LOD for quantitative detection could down to 100 pg/mL by using the VEGF-R1 based biosensor. Finally, artificial serum samples spiked with VEGF was analyzed by the proposed immunosensor to investigate useful of the biosensor for early biomarker diagnosis.     

A Role for Cadherin-5 in Regulation of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor 2 Activity in Endothelial Cells

FLK-1/vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR-2) is one of the receptors for VEGF. In this study we examined the effect of cell density on activation of VEGFR-2. VEGF induces only very slight tyrosine phosphorylation of VEGFR-2 in confluent (95-100% confluent) pig aortic endothelial (PAE) cells. In contrast, robust VEGF-dependent tyrosine phosphorylation of VEGFR-2 was observed in cells plated in sparse culture conditions (60-65% confluent). A similar cell density-dependent phenomenon was observed in different endothelial cells but not in NIH-3T3 fibroblast cells expressing VEGFR-2. Stimulating cells with high concentrations of VEGF or replacing the extracellular domain of VEGFR-2 with that of the colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor did not alleviate the sensitivity of VEGFR-2 to cell density, indicating that the confluent cells were probably not secreting an antagonist to VEGF. Furthermore, in PAE cells, ectopically introduced platelet-derived growth factor alpha receptor could be activated at both high and low cell density conditions, indicating that the density effect was not universal for all receptor tyrosine kinases expressed in endothelial cells. In addition to lowering the density of cells, removing divalent cations from the medium of confluent cells potentiated VEGFR-2 phosphorylation in response to VEGF. These findings suggested that cell-cell contact may be playing a role in regulating the activation of VEGFR-2. To this end, pretreatment of confluent PAE cells with a neutralizing anti-cadherin-5 antibody potentiated the response of VEGFR-2 to VEGF. Our data demonstrate that endothelial cell density plays a critical role in regulating VEGFR-2 activity, and that the underlying mechanism appears to involve cadherin-5.     

促进CHO细胞生长及其产物hNGF表达的培养条件的初步研究

以稳定表达人神经生长因子（hNGF）的重组工程CHO细胞株为对象,采用无血清流加悬浮培养（Fed batch culture）方式,考察使用基础培养基(无特殊添加物),分别添加丁酸钠、DMSO、KH2PO4的培养基及不同培养温度（32℃和37℃）对细胞生长和重组蛋白表达的影响。每日取样检测细胞密度、细胞活率、葡萄糖浓度、重组蛋白浓度。结果表明细胞培养温度由37℃下降至32℃,细胞生长周期明显延长,重组蛋白产量增加。5mmol/L丁酸钠和2% DMSO的加入虽然提高了重组蛋白的表达量,但严重抑制细胞生长。最大的蛋白比生成速率（qNGF）出现在37℃培养且添加2% DMSO的培养条件下,而最高蛋白表达量则出现于32℃培养添加3.65mmol/L KH2PO4的培养条件下。研究表明,将培养温度设为32℃,在基础培养基中添加3.65mmol/L KH2PO4或1% DMSO是提高hNGF表达水平的有效方法。     

Translation of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor mRNA by Internal Ribosome Entry: Implications for Translation under Hypoxia

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a hypoxia-inducible angiogenic growth factor that promotes compensatory angiogenesis in circumstances of oxygen shortage. The requirement for translational regulation of VEGF is imposed by the cumbersome structure of the 5′ untranslated region (5′UTR), which is incompatible with efficient translation by ribosomal scanning, and by the physiologic requirement for maximal VEGF production under conditions of hypoxia, where overall protein synthesis is compromised. Using bicistronic reporter gene constructs, we show that the 1,014-bp 5′UTR of VEGF contains a functional internal ribosome entry site (IRES). Efficient cap-independent translation is maintained under hypoxia, thereby securing efficient production of VEGF even under unfavorable stress conditions. To identify sequences within the 5′UTR required for maximal IRES activity, deletion mutants were analyzed. Elimination of the majority (851 nucleotides) of internal 5′UTR sequences not only maintained full IRES activity but also generated a significantly more potent IRES. Activity of the 163-bp long “improved” IRES element was abrogated, however, following substitution of a few bases near the 5′ terminus as well as substitutions close to the translation start codon. Both the full-length 5′UTR and its truncated version function as translational enhancers in the context of a monocistronic mRNA.     

Endothelial and Smooth Muscle-derived Neuropilin-like Protein Regulates Platelet-derived Growth Factor Signaling in Human Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells by Modulating Receptor Ubiquitination

Endothelial and smooth muscle cell-derived neuropilin-like protein (ESDN) is up-regulated in the neointima of remodeling arteries and modulates vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) growth. Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) is the prototypic growth factor for VSMCs and plays a key role in vascular remodeling. Here, we sought to further define ESDN function in primary human VSMCs. ESDN down-regulation by RNA interference significantly enhanced PDGF-induced VSMC DNA synthesis and migration. This was associated with increased ERK1/2, Src, and PDGF receptor (PDGFR)β phosphorylation, without altering total PDGFRβ expression levels. In binding assays, ESDN down-regulation significantly increased ¹²⁵I-PDGF maximum binding (B_max) to PDGF receptors on VSMCs without altering the binding constant (K_d), raising the possibility that ESDN regulates PDGFR processing. ESDN down-regulation significantly reduced ligand-induced PDGFRβ ubiquitination. This was associated with a significant reduction in the expression level of c-Cbl, an E3 ubiquitin ligase that ubiquitinylates PDGFRβ. Thus, ESDN modulates PDGF signaling in VSMCs via regulation of PDGFR surface levels. The ESDN effect is mediated, at least in part, through effects on PDGFRβ ubiquitination. ESDN may serve as a target for regulating PDGFRβ signaling in VSMCs.Vascular injury initiates a cascade of events that ultimately leads to vascular remodeling and often intimal hyperplasia. Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC)² proliferation and migration are key cellular events in this process. Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB is released by platelets, endothelial cells, VSMCs, and inflammatory cells at the sites of vascular injury and is a particularly potent regulator of VSMC proliferation and migration (1). PDGF binding to PDGF receptor (PDGFR)β in VSMCs leads to receptor dimerization, autophosphorylation, and activation of downstream signaling pathways, including MAPK. The ligand-bound receptor is internalized through the endocytotic pathway and may either recycle to the membrane or undergo ubiquitination and lysosomal degradation (2). A number of endogenous stimulatory and inhibitory regulators, including the E3 ubiquitin ligase, c-Cbl (3), tightly regulate the mitogenic stimulus by modulating the duration and intensity of the signal.We have identified endothelial and smooth muscle cell-derived neuropilin-like protein (ESDN, also called CLCP1 or DCBLD2) as a marker and regulator of cell proliferation in vascular remodeling (4). ESDN is a transmembrane protein with a domain structure similar to neuropilins (5, 6). ESDN can be induced by PDGF-BB and serum and is highly expressed in the neointima of injured rat (5), mouse (4), and human (4) arteries. ESDN expression parallels cell proliferation in the vessel wall in vivo (4). Furthermore, ESDN is up-regulated in proliferating VSMCs, and ESDN overexpression inhibits VSMC growth (4). Here, we expand the scope of our previous studies to demonstrate that ESDN regulates PDGF-induced VSMC migration and inhibits PDGF signaling in VSMCs. We further establish that this effect is mediated, at least in part, through changes in the surface expression of PDGF receptors. Finally, our study indicates that ESDN mediates PDGFRβ ubiquitination by regulating c-Cbl gene expression.     

黄牛表皮细胞分离与体外培养最适条件的探索

为了建立黄牛表皮细胞分离与体外培养的最适条件,比较了组织块法与单细胞悬液法、不同蛋白酶(胰蛋白酶和分离酶)的消化以及有无血清培养基对细胞生长的影响,以克隆形成率来检测细胞生长和存活情况。结果证明：采用分离酶分离表皮细胞进行无血清培养是黄牛表皮细胞体外培养的最适条件。     

A Polysaccharide Isolated from the Medicinal Herb Bletilla striata Induces Endothelial Cells Proliferation and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Expression in vitro

A polysaccharide from the traditional Chinese medicinal herb, Bletilla striata (Thunb.) Reichb. f., was isolated, purified and characterized. It induced the proliferation of human umbilical vascular endothelial cells and the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor up to 156% and 147% of control after 72 h, respectively. Revisions requested 8 November 2005; Revisions received 13 January 2006     

A Novel Method for the Culture and Polarized Stimulation of Human Intestinal Mucosa Explants

Few models currently exist to realistically simulate the complex human intestine''s micro-environment, where a variety of interactions take place. Proper homeostasis directly depends on these interactions, as they shape an entire immunological response inducing tolerance against food antigens while at the same time mounting effective immune responses against pathogenic microbes accidentally ingested with food.Intestinal homeostasis is preserved also through various complex interactions between the microbiota (including food-associated beneficial bacterial strains) and the host, that regulate the attachment/degradation of mucus, the production of antimicrobial peptides by the epithelial barrier, and the "education" of epithelial cells'' that controls the tolerogenic or immunogenic phenotype of unique, gut-resident lymphoid cells'' populations. These interactions have been so far very difficult to reproduce with in vitro assays using either cultured cell lines or peripheral blood mononuclear cells. In addition, mouse models differ substantially in components of the intestinal mucosa (mucus layer organization, commensal bacteria community) with respect to the human gut. Thus, studies of a variety of treatments to be brought in the clinics for important stress-related or pathological conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease or colorectal cancer have been difficult to carry out.To address these issues, we developed a novel system that enables us to stimulate explants of human intestinal mucosa that retain their in situ conditioning by the host microbiota and immune response, in a polarized fashion. Polarized apical stimulation is of great importance for the outcome of the elicited immune response. It has been repeatedly shown that the same stimuli can produce completely different responses when they bypass the apical face of the intestinal epithelium, stimulating epithelial cells basolaterally or coming into direct contact with lamina propria components, switching the phenotype from tolerogenic to immunogenic and causing unnecessary and excessive inflammation in the area.We achieved polarized stimulation by gluing a cave cylinder which delimited the area of stimulation on the apical face of the mucosa as will be described in the protocol. We used this model to examine, among others, differential effects of three different Lactobacilli strains. We show that this model system is very powerful to assess the immunomodulatory properties of probiotics in healthy and disease conditions.     

Ricin A-Chain and Ricin A-Chain Immunotoxins Rapidly Damage Human Endothelial Cells: Implications for Vascular Leak Syndrome

The results of Phase I/II clinical trials indicate that ricin A-chain-containing immunotoxins cause vascular leak syndrome, characterized by hypoalbuminemia with resultant weight gain and edema. Vascular leak syndrome may be a dose-limiting factor during treatment with ricin A-chain-containing immunotoxins. In this report, we determined the effect of ricin A-chain and ricin A-chain-containing immunotoxins on human umbilical vein endothelial cells with the aim of developing an in vitro model to study vascular leak syndrome. The major findings of our study are: (1) Human umbilical vein endothelial cells undergo rapid and dramatic changes in morphology after treatment with ricin A-chain and ricin A-chain-containing immunotoxins. These changes include rounding of the cells and, eventually, the formation of gaps between them. (2) The permeability of human umbilical vein endothelial cell monolayers to passage of molecules increases after exposure to ricin A-chain or ricin A-chain-containing immunotoxins and this is consistent with the morphologic changes. (3) Human umbilical vein endothelial cells bind ¹²⁵ I-rRTA in a dose-dependent manner but binding is not specific. (4) Human umbilical vein endothelial cells are moderately more sensitive to ricin A-chain-induced inhibition of protein synthesis and proliferation than simian virus-transformed mouse endothelial cells. (5) The morphologic changes are observed 1 h after exposure to the toxins, whereas inhibition of protein synthesis is not detectable until 4 h after a similar exposure. The in vitro model represents a first step in dissecting the complex events which occur in cancer patients who develop vascular leak syndrome after treatment with ricin A-chain-containing immunotoxins.     

靶向VEGF小干扰RNA协同5-FU诱导人乳腺癌细胞MCF-7凋亡机制的研究

探讨慢病毒介导的靶向VEGF小干扰RNA联合应用化疗药物5 FU诱导人乳腺癌细胞MCF-7凋亡的机制。以携带VEGF siRNA的慢病毒载体感染MCF-7细胞,应用RT-PCR和Western blot分别检测各组VEGF mRNA、VEGF蛋白及凋亡相关蛋白的表达,流式细胞术检测细胞凋亡。结果表明,慢病毒VEGF siRNA干扰组细胞VEGF mRNA和蛋白表达水平明显低于对照组,凋亡相关蛋白P53及P21表达上调,而SIRT1、Bcl-2及Survivin表达下调。流式细胞术检测显示慢病毒干扰组及5-FU组细胞凋亡率显著升高,联合治疗组的协同作用更为明显。上述结果表明：慢病毒介导的RNA干扰能明显抑制MCF-7细胞VEGF的表达,通过下调SIRTI蛋白的表达,导致P53蛋白表达上调,并调控其下游P21、bcl-2和Survivin的表达,从而诱导MCF-7细胞的凋亡,并且提高了MCF-7对5-FU的敏感性。     

Infection of Vascular Endothelial Cells with Human Cytomegalovirus under Fluid Shear Stress Reveals Preferential Entry and Spread of Virus in Flow Conditions Simulating Atheroprone Regions of the Artery

Atherosclerosis is a major pathogenic factor in cardiovascular diseases, which are the leading cause of mortality in developed countries. While risk factors for atherosclerosis tend to be systemic, the distribution of atherosclerotic plaques within the vasculature is preferentially located at branch points and curves where blood flow is disturbed and shear stress is low. It is now widely accepted that hemodynamic factors can modulate endothelial gene expression and function and influence the pathophysiological changes associated with atherosclerosis. Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), a ubiquitous pathogen, has long been proposed as a risk factor for atherosclerosis. To date, the role of HCMV in atherogenesis has been explored only in static conditions, and it is not known how HCMV infection is influenced by the physiological context of flow. In this study, we utilized a parallel-plate flow system to simulate the effects of shear stresses in different regions of the vasculature in vitro. We found that endothelial cells cultured under low shear stress, which simulates the flow condition of atheroprone regions in vivo, are more permissive to HCMV infection than cells experiencing high shear stress or static conditions. Cells exposed to low shear stress show increased entry of HCMV compared to cells exposed to high shear stress or static conditions. Viral structural gene expression, viral titers, and viral spread are also enhanced in endothelial cells exposed to low shear stress. These results suggest that hemodynamic factors modulate HCMV infection of endothelial cells, thus providing new insights into the induction/acceleration of atherosclerosis by HCMV.     

Novel Interaction Mechanism of a Domain Antibody-based Inhibitor of Human Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor with Greater Potency than Ranibizumab and Bevacizumab and Improved Capacity over Aflibercept

A potent VEGF inhibitor with novel antibody architecture and antigen binding mode has been developed. The molecule, hereafter referred to as VEGF dual dAb (domain antibody), was evaluated in vitro for binding to VEGF and for potency in VEGF-driven models and compared with other anti-VEGF biologics that have been used in ocular anti-angiogenic therapeutic regimes. VEGF dual dAb is more potent than bevacizumab and ranibizumab for VEGF binding, inhibition of VEGF receptor binding assays (RBAs), and VEGF-driven in vitro models of angiogenesis and displays comparable inhibition to aflibercept (Eylea). VEGF dual dAb is dimeric, and each monomer contains two distinct anti-VEGF domain antibodies attached via linkers to a human IgG1 Fc domain. Mechanistically, the enhanced in vitro potency of VEGF dual dAb, in comparison to other anti-VEGF biologics, can be explained by increased binding stoichiometry. A consistent model of the target engagement has been built based on the x-ray complexes of each of the two isolated domain antibodies with the VEGF antigen.     

Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF-a) in Fabry disease: Association with cutaneous and systemic manifestations with vascular involvement

IntroductionFabry disease is an X-linked inherited metabolic disorder characterized by the deficiency of lysosomal α-galactosidase A enzyme. This leads to the accumulation, into lysosomes through the body, of glycosphingolipids, mainly Gb3. Skin involvement and progressive multi-organ failure are usually observed. Endothelium is the preferential target of the Gb3 storage that determines endothelial dysfunction and vasculopathy leading to the clinical manifestations of the disease. The serum levels of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-A (VEGF-A), a specific endothelial cell mitogen, were analyzed in Fabry patients to explore a possible association to the clinical manifestations with vascular involvement.MethodsThirty-five patients with a biochemical and genetic diagnosis of Fabry disease, along with an age–gender-matched healthy control group, were enrolled. Serum samples were collected and analyzed by ELISA. The genetic mutations, the specific organ dysfunction, and the cardiovascular risk factors such as dyslipidaemia, diabetes, smoking habits and hypertension were evaluated in Fabry patients.ResultsThe mean serum level of VEGF-A in Fabry patients group was significantly higher than in the control group (P = 0.006). A statistical significant association, between VEGF-A levels and the skin manifestation including angiokeratomas, sweating abnormalities and Fabry Facies was found. An association was also found between high VEGF-A and specific GLA mutations, the male gender, the renal and neurological manifestations, the presence of eye vessels tortuosity, smoking habit and hypertension.ConclusionsWe detected increased VEGF-A levels in patients with Fabry disease compared to the controls, and we hypothesized that this could be a response to the vascular damage characterising this lysosomal disorder. However, further studies are necessary to clarify the role of VEGF-A in Fabry.     

Isolation of Typical Marine Bacteria by Dilution Culture: Growth, Maintenance, and Characteristics of Isolates under Laboratory Conditions

Marine bacteria in Resurrection Bay near Seward, Alaska, and in the central North Sea off the Dutch coast were cultured in filtered autoclaved seawater following dilution to extinction. The populations present before dilution varied from 0.11 × 10⁹ to 1.07 × 10⁹ cells per liter. The mean cell volume varied between 0.042 and 0.074 μm³, and the mean apparent DNA content of the cells ranged from 2.5 to 4.7 fg of DNA per cell. All three parameters were determined by high-resolution flow cytometry. All 37 strains that were obtained from very high dilutions of Resurrection Bay and North Sea samples represented facultatively oligotrophic bacteria. However, 15 of these isolates were eventually obtained from dilution cultures that could initially be cultured only on very low-nutrient media and that could initially not form visible colonies on any of the agar media tested, indicating that these cultures contained obligately oligotrophic bacteria. It was concluded that the cells in these 15 dilution cultures had adapted to growth under laboratory conditions after several months of nutrient deprivation prior to isolation. From the North Sea experiment, it was concluded that the contribution of facultative oligotrophs and eutrophs to the total population was less than 1% and that while more than half of the population behaved as obligately oligotrophic bacteria upon first cultivation in the dilution culture media, around 50% could not be cultured at all. During one of the Resurrection Bay experiments, 53% of the dilution cultures obtained from samples diluted more than 2.5 × 10⁵ times consisted of such obligate oligotrophs. These cultures invariably harbored a small rod-shaped bacterium with a mean cell volume of 0.05 to 0.06 μm³ and an apparent DNA content of 1 to 1.5 fg per cell. This cell type had the dimensions of ultramicrobacteria. Isolates of these ultramicrobacterial cultures that were eventually obtained on relatively high-nutrient agar plates were, with respect to cell volume and apparent DNA content, identical to the cells in the initially obligately oligotrophic bacterial dilution culture. Determination of kinetic parameters from one of these small rod-shaped strains revealed a high specific affinity for the uptake of mixed amino acids (a°_A, 1,860 liters/g of cells per h), but not for glucose or alanine as the sole source of carbon and energy (a°_A, ± 200 liters/g of cells per h). The ultramicrobial strains obtained are potentially a very important part of picoplankton biomass in the areas investigated.