VEGF and bone cell signalling: an essential vessel for communication?

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is an endothelial cell survival factor and is required for effective coupling of angiogenesis and osteogenesis. Although central to bone homeostasis, repair and the pathobiology that affect these processes, the precise mechanisms coupling endothelial cell function within bone formation and remodelling remain unclarified. This review will (i) focus on the potential directionality of VEGF signalling in adult bone by identifying the predominant source of VEGF within the bone microenvironment, (ii) will summarize current VEGF receptor expression studies by bone cells and (iii) will provide evidence for a role for VEGF signalling during postnatal repair and osteoporosis. A means of understanding the directionality of VEGF signalling in adult bone would allow us to most effectively target angiogenic pathways in diseases characterized by changes in bone remodelling rates and enhance bone repair when compromised. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Protection of rat pancreatic islet function and viability by coculture with rat bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells

The maintenance of viable and functional islets is critical in successful pancreatic islet transplantation from cadaveric sources. During the isolation procedure, islets are exposed to a number of insults including ischemia, oxidative stress and cytokine injury that cause a reduction in the recovered viable islet mass. A novel approach was designed in which streptozotocin (STZ)-damaged rat pancreatic islets (rPIs) were indirectly cocultured with rat bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (rBM-MSCs) to maintain survival of the cultured rPIs. The results indicated that islets cocultured with rBM-MSCs secreted an increased level of insulin after 14 days, whereas non-cocultured islets gradually deteriorated and cell death occurred. The cocultivation of rBM-MSCs with islets and STZ-damaged islets showed the expression of IL6 and transforming growth factor-β1 in the culture medium, besides the expression of the antiapoptotic genes (Mapkapk2, Tnip1 and Bcl3), implying the cytoprotective, anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic effects of rBM-SCs through paracrine actions.     

Protective effects of green tea polyphenol against reactive oxygen species-induced oxidative stress in cultured rat calvarial osteoblast

The injurious effects of reactive oxygen species on osteoblasts and the potential protective role played by green tea polyphenols (GtPP) were investigated using primarily cultured rat calvarial osteoblasts. Oxidative stress was induced in cultured osteoblasts, either by adding 100 mmol/L H2O2 or by the action of 40 U/L xanthine oxidase (XO) in the presence of xanthine (250 micromol/L). After incubation, the cellular viability, function and morphology were evaluated. Both treatments produced a significant reduction in osteoblast viability, as assessed by a two-colored fluorescence staining method combined with flow cytometric analysis and MTT assay. A significant reduction in the alkaline phosphatase activity was observed after H2O2 addition, whereas XO did not have the same effect. On the microscopic observations, the morphological changes and intracellular ultrastructural damages were remarkably induced by both treatments. The H2O2-induced alterations were prevented by pre-incubating the osteoblasts with 200 microg/ml GtPP for 1 h. When the oxidative stress was induced by XO, the cellular viability and morphology was also maintained at the same polyphenol concentration. These results demonstrate that GtPP can act as a biological antioxidant in a cell culture experimental model and protect cells from oxidative stress-induced toxicity.     

Three-dimensional endothelial-tumor epithelial cell interactions in human cervical cancers

Summary The purpose of this study is to understand the multicellular interaction between tumor epithelial (TEC) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). The development of in vitro systems in which to coculture these cells as multicellular aggregates is very critical. Cell lines were established from cervical tumor cells (n=6) and two from HUVEC (n=2) and they were cultured as three-dimensional (3-D) multicellular-cultures using Cytodex-3 microcarrier beads in the rotating wall vessel (RWV). After a 240-h incubation, TEC and HUVEC proliferated exponentially to 4.2×10⁷ and 2.2 × 10⁷ cells/ml, respectively, without requiring a feeder layer; in contrast to the two-dimensional (2-D) cultures that average about 8 × 10⁶ cells/ml. Phase contrast microscopy indicated formation of 3-D aggregates that varied in size from 0.5 to 5 mm. The size of the aggregates (1–5 mm, 6⊋ash;14 microcarriers) increased over time; however, the number of aggregates (0.5–1 mm, 2–5 microcarriers) decreased over a long-term incubation (240 h) because the cells merged to form large clumps. Maximum aggregation was observed with TEC at 120 h and HUVEC at 96 h. The culture of TEC in the absence of HUVEC produced minimal differentiation in contrast to cocultures. The TEC and HUVEC as cocultures in RWV proliferated at an accelerated rate (1.3 × 10⁷ cells/ml, 96 h). The TEC-HUVEC coculture presented tubular structures penetrating the tumor cell masses, forming aggregates larger in size than the monocultures and typically with greater cell mass and number. The cells were viable (trypan blue exclusion) and metabolically active (glucose utilization) until 240 h. These data suggest that RWV provides a new model that allows us to investigate the regulatory factors that govern tumor angiogenesis.     

A novel gene delivery system targeting cells expressing VEGF receptors

Two ligand oligopeptides GV1 and GV2 were designed according to the putative binding region of VEGF to its receptors.GV1,GV2 and endosome releasing oligopeptide HA20 were conjugated with poly-L-lysine or protamine and the resulting conjugates could interact with DNA in a noncovalent bond to form a complex.Using pSV2-β-galactosidase as a reporter gene,it has been demonstrated that exogenous gene was transferred into bovine aortic arch-derived endothelial cells (ABAE) and human malignant melanoma cell lines (A375) in vitro.In vivo experiments,exogenous gene was transferred into tumor vascular endothelial cells and tumor cells of subcutaneously transplanted human colon cancer LOVO,human malignant melanoma A375 and human hepatoma graft in nude mice.This system could also target gene to intrahepatically transplanted human hepatoma injected via portal vein in nude mice.These results are correlated with the relevant receptors(flt-1,flk-1/KDR) expression on the targeted cells and tissues.     

VEGF and VEGF receptor levels in retinal and brain-derived endothelial cells

Vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF) is an endothelial cell-specific angiogenic and permeability-inducing factor that has been implicated in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy. The objectives of this study are to compare VEGF and VEGF receptor expression between retinal and brain-derived endothelial cells cultured in 5 or 30 mM glucose for 5 days. Our results show that expression of cell-surface VEGF receptors, assessed by flow cytometry, is higher in retinal-derived endothelial cells. RT-PCR results show that both retinal and brain-derived endothelial cells express comparable levels and types of VEGF. Exposure to 30 mM glucose for 5 days did not alter levels of VEGF or VEGF receptors. The higher level of VEGF receptor expression in retinal endothelial cells suggests that the retinal microcirculation may be more sensitive to the effects of VEGF and this may contribute to the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy.     

血管内皮生长因子及其受体在斑马鱼胚胎血管发育中的作用

血管内皮生长因子(vascular endothelial growth factor,VEGF)是一种多功能的细胞因子,其主要作用是促进血管内皮细胞增殖和增加血管通透性,是肿瘤及正常组织血管生成的中心调控因素。以VEGF为靶点的肿瘤血管靶向性治疗成为近几年肿瘤治疗的新途径。斑马鱼作为一种重要的模式生物,被广泛用于胚胎的分子发育机制、疾病模型的构建以及药物筛选等研究中。文章对斑马鱼作为心血管系统研究模型的优势及其血管研究方法做一阐述,重点对斑马鱼VEGF及其受体的最新研究进展做了介绍,并展望了其发展前景。     

Autocrine functions of VEGF in breast tumor cells

Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) is well known for its key roles in blood vessel growth. Although most studies on VEGF and VEGF receptors have been focused on their functions in angiogenesis and in endothelial cells, the role of VEGF in cancer biology appears as an emerging area of importance. In this context, the presence of VEGF receptors in tumor cells strongly suggests that VEGF-A also promotes a wide range of functions, both in vitro and in vivo, all autocrine functions on tumor cells, including adhesion, survival, migration and invasion. Ultimately, refining our knowledge of VEGF signaling pathways in tumor cells should help us to understand why the current used treatments targeting the VEGF pathway in cancer are not universally effective in inhibiting metastasis tumors, and it should also provide new avenues for future therapies.     

Elevated expression of hormone-regulated rat hepatocyte functions in a new serum-free hepatocyte-stromal cell coculture model

Summary The specific performance of the adult hepatic parenchymal cell is maintained and controlled by factors deriving from the stromal bed; the chemical nature of these factors is unknown. This study aimed to develop a serum-free hierarchical hepatocyte-nonparenchymal (stromal) cell coculture system. Hepatic stromal cells proliferated on crosslinked collagen in serum-free medium with epidermal growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor, and hepatocyte-conditioned medium; cell type composition changed during the 2-wk culture period. During the first wk, the culture consisted of proliferating sinusoidal endothelial cells with well-preserved sieve plates, proliferating hepatic stellate cells, and partially activated Kupffer cells. The number of endothelial cells declined thereafter; stellate cells and Kupffer cells became the prominent cell types after 8 d. Hepatocytes were seeded onto stromal cells precultured for 4–14 d; they adhered to stellate and Kupffer cells, but spared the islands of endothelial cells. Stellate cells spread out on top of the hepatocytes; Kupffer cell extensions established multiple contacts to hepatocytes and stellate cells. Hepatocyte viability was maintained by coculture; the positive influence of stromal cell signals on hepatocyte differentiation became evident after 48 h; a strong improvement of cell responsiveness toward hormones could be observed in cocultured hepatocytes. Hierarchial hepatocyte coculture enhanced the glucagon-dependent increases in phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase activity and messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) content three- and twofold, respectively; glucagon-activated urea production was elevated twofold. Coculturing also stimulated glycogen deposition; basal synthesis was increased by 30% and the responsiveness toward insulin and glucose was elevated by 100 and 55%, respectively. The insulin-dependent rise in the glucokinase mRNA content was increased twofold in cocultured hepatocytes. It can be concluded that long-term signals from stromal cells maintain hepatocyte differentiation. This coculture model should, therefore, provide the technical basis for the investigation of stroma-derived differentiation factors.     

Regulation of retinal capillary cells by basic fibroblast growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor, and hypoxia

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) feature prominently in retinal neovascular diseases. Although the role of VEGF in retinal angiogenesis is well established, the importance of bFGF in this process requires further clarification. This study was undertaken to investigate the responses of retinal capillary cells (endothelial cells and pericytes) to bFGF under hypoxic conditions, as well as the potentially synergistic effects of bFGF and VEGF on the proliferation and cord formation of retinal endothelial cells. Cell proliferation was determined by cell number and by 3H-thymidine incorporation. Cord formation was assessed in three-dimensional gels of collagen type I. VEGF and bFGF increased 3H-thymidine incorporation by both cell types, an effect that was more pronounced in a hypoxic environment. Moreover, the proliferation of pericytes was stimulated to a greater extent by bFGF relative to VEGF. Endothelial migration in collagen gels, however, was induced more effectively by VEGF than by bFGF. A synergistic effect of VEGF and bFGF on cell invasion was observed in the collagen gel assay. VEGF and bFGF each augment proliferation of these cells, especially under hypoxia. We thus propose that these two cytokines have a synergistic effect at several stages of angiogenesis in the retina.