StemBell therapy stabilizes atherosclerotic plaques after myocardial infarction

Background aims. After a myocardial infarction (MI) atherosclerosis is accelerated leading to destabilization of the atherosclerotic plaque. mesenchymal stromal cells are a promising therapeutic option for atherosclerosis. Previously, we demonstrated a novel stem cell delivery technique, with adipose stem cells coupled to microbubbles (i.e., StemBells) as therapy after MI. In this study, we aim to investigate the effect of StemBell therapy on atherosclerotic plaques in an atherosclerotic mouse model after MI. Methods. MI was induced in atherosclerotic Apolipoprotein E–deficient mice that were fed a high-fat Western diet. Six days post-MI, the mice received either 5?×?10⁵/100 µL StemBells or vehicle intravenously. The effects of StemBell treatment on the size and stability of aortic root atherosclerotic plaques and the infarcted heart were determined 28 days post-MI via (immuno)histological analyses. Moreover, monocyte subtypes and lipids in the blood were studied. Results. StemBell treatment resulted in significantly increased cap thickness, decreased intra-plaque macrophage density and increased percentage of intra-plaque anti-inflammatory macrophages and chemokines, without affecting plaque size and serum cholesterol/triglycerides. Furthermore, StemBell treatment significantly increased the percentage of anti-inflammatory macrophages within the infarcted myocardium but did not affect cardiac function nor infarct size. Finally, also the average percentage of anti-inflammatory monocytes in the circulation was increased after StemBell therapy. Discussion. StemBell therapy increased cap thickness and decreased intra-plaque inflammation after MI, indicative of stabilized atherosclerotic plaque. It also induced a shift of circulating monocytes and intra-plaque and intra-cardiac macrophages towards anti-inflammatory phenotypes. Hence, StemBell therapy may be a therapeutic option to prevent atherosclerosis acceleration after MI.     

Mesenchymal stem cells are superior to angiogenic growth factor genes for improving myocardial performance in the mouse model of acute myocardial infarction

Summary Both cell therapy and angiogenic growth factor gene therapy have been applied to animal studies and clinical trials. Little is known about the direct comparison between cell therapy and angiogenic growth factor gene therapy. The goal of this study was to compare the effects of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) transplantation and injection of angiogenic growth factor genes in a model of acute myocardial infarction in mice. The hMSCs were obtained from adult human bone marrow and expanded in vitro. The purity and characteristics of hMSCs were identified by flow cytometry and immunophenotyping. Immediately after ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery in male severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice, culture-expanded hMSCs or angiogenic growth factor genes were injected intramuscularly at the left anterior free wall. The engrafted hMSCs were positive for cardiac marker, desmin. Infarct size was significantly smaller in the hMSCs-treated group than in the angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1) or vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-treated group at day 28 after infarction. hMSCs transplantation was better in decreasing left ventricular end-diastolic dimension and increasing fractional shortening than Ang1 or VEGF gene therapy. Capillary density was markedly increased after hMSCs transplantation than Ang1 and VEGF gene therapy. In conclusion, intramyocardial transplantation of hMSCs improves cardiac function after acute myocardial infarction through enhancement of angiogenesis and myogenesis in the ischemic myocardium. hMSCs are superior to angiogenic growth factor genes for improving myocardial performance in the mouse model of acute myocardial infarction. Transplantation of MSCs may become the future therapy for acute myocardial infarction for myocardial regeneration.     

有氧运动与干细胞动员的缺血心脏血管新生研究进展

有氧运动具有明确的血管新生效应,包括缺血心脏,但其机制尚未完全阐明。心肌梗死(MI)后冠脉微血管新生是心脏修复的前提。新近研究表明,血管新生来源于体内干/祖细胞的动员与参与,并以旁分泌效应影响内皮细胞(EC)功能及微血管分布效果,运动可以动员、激活内源性干细胞因子和血管生成因子的表达与分泌,并能从表观遗传学角度影响心脏血管新生。探索不同运动方式及强度对缺血心脏血管新生的作用及其分子机制,对缺血心脏的预防及术后康复具有重要意义。本文从心脏血管新生及其调控机制、自体干细胞动员参与缺血心脏的血管新生和运动通过干细胞动员促进缺血心脏血管新生等方面综述运动促进缺血心脏血管新生的主要机制、存在问题及相关研究进展。     

上皮性卵巢癌中Maspin蛋白与血管内皮生长因子-C的表达及其相关性

目的：探讨上皮性卵巢癌组织中maspin蛋白与血管内皮生长因子-C（VEGF-C）表达的临床意义及其相关性。方法：采用免疫组化技术检测75例上皮性卵巢癌中maspin蛋白与VEGF-C的表达情况,以卵巢良性肿瘤及正常卵巢作为对照。结果：maspin和VEGF-C在上皮性卵巢癌中的阳性表达率分别为61.3%、82.7%,均明显高于卵巢良性肿瘤（13.3%、20%）和正常卵巢组织（0%、0%）,maspin蛋白在上皮性卵巢癌中的表达与FIGO分期高、组织学分级高、腹水形成和淋巴结转移有关;VEGF-C与FIGO分期高、淋巴结转移和腹水形成有关;上皮性卵巢癌中maspin蛋白与VEGF-C的表达成正相关。结论：maspin和VEGF-C在上皮性卵巢癌中表达上调,在卵巢上皮性癌的浸润、转移中起重要作用。     

利用慢病毒载体构建稳定过表达人VEGF_(165)的小鼠巨噬细胞系

目的:通过构建人血管内皮生长因子165(humanVEGF_(165),hVEGF_(165)的慢病毒载体,感染小鼠单核巨噬细胞RAW264.7,建立稳定高表达人VEGF165的小鼠巨噬细胞系。方法:将聚合酶链反应(PCR)扩增得到的hVEGF_(165)和慢病毒载体pLVX-IRES-ZsGreen1双酶切后连接,构建慢病毒表达载体pLVX-hVEGF_(165)-IRES-ZsGreen1。再经双酶切和测序鉴定后,进行病毒包装及浓缩。将该慢病毒载体感染RAW264.7细胞,利用绿色荧光蛋白ZsGreen1进行2次流式分选。用Realtime-PCR、WesternBlot分别检测各组细胞中hVEGF165的mRNA和蛋白表达;ELISA分别检测细胞上清中人VEGF和小鼠VEGF的含量。结果:酶切及测序结果示慢病毒表达载体pLVX-hVEGF165-IRES-ZsGreen1构建正确;流式分选后得到高纯度的ZsGreen1-hVEGF_(165)-RAW264.7细胞。Realtime-PCR、WesternBlot显示该细胞特异高表达hVEGF_(165)基因和蛋白(P均0.01)。ELISA显示该细胞分泌人和小鼠VEGF均显著增加(P均0.01)。结论:成功构建hVEGF_(165)慢病毒表达载体,并建立稳定高表达hVEGF_(165)的小鼠巨噬细胞系。为深入研究该细胞的功能、机制及应用提供充足稳定的细胞来源。     

干细胞移植治疗心力衰竭的研究进展

由于心肌梗死发作等原因可造成心肌受损、心力衰竭。干细胞可以向心肌细胞定向分化,这使得通过细胞移植治疗心力衰竭成为可能。简要综述了有望用于移植的干细胞,以及目前实验与临床研究进展和面临的问题。     

Proteolytic Processing Regulates Placental Growth Factor Activities

Placental growth factor (PlGF) is a critical mediator of blood vessel formation, yet mechanisms of its action and regulation are incompletely understood. Here we demonstrate that proteolytic processing regulates the biological activity of PlGF. Specifically, we show that plasmin processing of PlGF-2 yields a protease-resistant core fragment comprising the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 binding site but lacking the carboxyl-terminal domain encoding the heparin-binding domain and an 8-amino acid peptide encoded by exon 7. We have identified plasmin cleavage sites, generated a truncated PlGF118 isoform mimicking plasmin-processed PlGF, and explored its biological function in comparison with that of PlGF-1 and -2. The angiogenic responses induced by the diverse PlGF forms were distinct. Whereas PlGF-2 increased endothelial cell chemotaxis, vascular sprouting, and granulation tissue formation upon skin injury, these activities were abrogated following plasmin digestion. Investigation of PlGF/Neuropilin-1 binding and function suggests a critical role for heparin-binding domain/Neuropilin-1 interaction and its regulation by plasmin processing. Collectively, here we provide new mechanistic insights into the regulation of PlGF-2/Neuropilin-1-mediated tissue vascularization and growth.     

Transplantation of adult neural progenitor cells transfected with vascular endothelial growth factor rescues grafted cells in the rat brain

Growth factors are currently evaluated as therapeutics in stroke and neurodegeneration. Besides direct neurotrophic effects, they promote proliferation, survival, and differentiation of both transplanted and endogenous neural precursor cells (NPCs). In the current study, we investigated whether NPCs expressing Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor VEGF-A165 are a useful vehicle for growth factor delivery after transplantation into the caudate putamen of the rat brain. We found an increased survival of adenovirally transfected NPCs after 11 days, but not after 24 hours or 4 days. Additional brain immunohistochemistry revealed increased expression of the endothelial cell marker PECAM-1 (CD31) after 24 hours, 4 day, and 11 days after transplantation. In conclusion, we show that the graft itself is a useful vehicle for growth factor delivery, promoting the survival of NPCs. Moreover, transplantation of VEGF-expressing NPCs supports angiogenesis in the brain, which may contribute to potential brain repair.     

Endothelial Lineage Differentiation from Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Is Regulated by MicroRNA-21 and Transforming Growth Factor β2 (TGF-β2) Pathways

Finding a suitable cell source for endothelial cells (ECs) for cardiovascular regeneration is a challenging issue for regenerative medicine. In this paper, we describe a novel mechanism regulating induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) differentiation into ECs, with a particular focus on miRNAs and their targets. We first established a protocol using collagen IV and VEGF to drive the functional differentiation of iPSCs into ECs and compared the miRNA signature of differentiated and undifferentiated cells. Among the miRNAs overrepresented in differentiated cells, we focused on microRNA-21 (miR-21) and studied its role in iPSC differentiation. Overexpression of miR-21 in predifferentiated iPSCs induced EC marker up-regulation and in vitro and in vivo capillary formation; accordingly, inhibition of miR-21 produced the opposite effects. Importantly, miR-21 overexpression increased TGF-β2 mRNA and secreted protein level, consistent with the strong up-regulation of TGF-β2 during iPSC differentiation. Indeed, treatment of iPSCs with TGFβ-2 induced EC marker expression and in vitro tube formation. Inhibition of SMAD3, a downstream effector of TGFβ-2, strongly decreased VE-cadherin expression. Furthermore, TGFβ-2 neutralization and knockdown inhibited miR-21-induced EC marker expression. Finally, we confirmed the PTEN/Akt pathway as a direct target of miR-21, and we showed that PTEN knockdown is required for miR-21-mediated endothelial differentiation. In conclusion, we elucidated a novel signaling pathway that promotes the differentiation of iPSC into functional ECs suitable for regenerative medicine applications.     

Essential Role for Endocytosis in the Growth Factor-stimulated Activation of ERK1/2 in Endothelial Cells

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) stimulates angiogenesis by binding to VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2) on endothelial cells (ECs). Downstream activation of the extracellular related kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2) is important for angiogenesis to proceed. Receptor internalization has been implicated in VEGFR2 signaling, but its role in the activation of ERK1/2 is unclear. To explore this question we utilized pitstop and dynasore, two small molecule inhibitors of endocytosis. First, we confirmed that both inhibitors block the internalization of VEGFR2 in ECs. We then stimulated ECs with VEGF in the presence and absence of the inhibitors and examined VEGFR2 signaling to ERK1/2. Activation of VEGFR2 and C-Raf still occurred in the presence of the inhibitors, whereas the activation of MEK1/2 and ERK1/2 was abrogated. Therefore, although internalization is not required for activation of either VEGFR2 or C-Raf in ECs stimulated with VEGF, internalization is necessary to activate the more distal kinases in the cascade. Importantly, inhibition of internalization also prevented activation of ERK1/2 when ECs were stimulated with other pro-angiogenic growth factors, namely fibroblast growth factor 2 and hepatocyte growth factor. In contrast, the same inhibitors did not block ERK1/2 activation in fibroblasts or cancer cells stimulated with growth factors. Finally, we show that these small molecule inhibitors of endocytosis block angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, receptor internalization may be a generic requirement for pro-angiogenic growth factors to activate ERK1/2 signaling in human ECs, and targeting receptor trafficking may present a therapeutic opportunity to block tumor angiogenesis.