Browsing by Subject "angiogenesis"

Endothelial dysfunction is a common characteristic of several diseases including diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease and stroke. Healthy endothelium ensures vascular homeostasis, regulation of blood flow and the exchange of oxygen and nutrients, as well as immune cell filtration to the surrounding tissues. In many cases, endothelial dysfunction results in ischemia in the surrounding tissues impairing cellular regeneration mechanisms, which can lead to tissue necrosis in the worst case. Therapeutic angiogenesis via stem cell transplantation aims to restore tissue blood flow and thus aid in tissue regeneration and restoration of a functioning tissue. Adipose derived stem/stromal cells (ASC) are a stem cell population with a multilineage differentiation ability. They have been shown to differentiate towards adipogenic, osteogenic, chondrogenic, myogenic and neurogenic lineages among others. Their easy obtainability from liposuction material and abundance in the adipose tissue makes them an especially practical and favorable cell option for stem cell research. In angiogenesis research, ASCs are commonly used in a co-culture with an endothelial cell (EC) type such as human umbilical vein endothelial cell. ASCs secrete extracellular vesicles (EV) that are small membrane bound vesicles with a diameter ranging from 40-1000 nm, and which have the ability to alter the behavior of target cells through their cargo. EV cargo consists of microRNAs, messenger-RNAs and proteins, and the EV cargo of ASCs has been shown to have proangiogenic effects. The aim of this work was to review what is currently known about ASC ability to promote angiogenesis through paracrine secretion and differentiation into endothelial cells or pericytes, interactions between ASCs and endothelial cells in the angiogenesis promoting process and the role of ASC extracellular vesicles in promoting angiogenesis. The methods for this work were database research of related articles using scientific databases and search engines, article categorization and reading, and finally manuscript production. It can be concluded from the current literature that a co-culture environment of ASCs and an endothelial cell type supports the formation of tube-like structures in vitro. Additional insulin like growth factor 1 in culture medium enhances the expression of angiogenesis-related growth factors in both cell types via PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Further, the activation of platelet derived growth factor receptor β supports ASC ability to promote vascular network formation. On the contrary, the presence of ASC secreted activin A results in the inhibition of vascular network formation. ASCs can differentiate into endothelial cells particularly in three-dimensional culture conditions. In addition, fibroblast growth factor 2 and the activation of the AKT-pathway are crucial for endothelial differentiation. In addition, ASCs have the ability to differentiate into pericytes and assume a stabilizing role on the outside of the microvessels. Concerning ASC derived EVs and their cargo, miR-31, miR-125a and miR-126 have proangiogenic effects in vitro and in vivo. Proangiogenic miRNAs in ASC EV cargo are miR-181b-5p and the let7-family, out of which miR-181b-5p upregulates vascular endothelial growth factor and hypoxia-inducible factor 1α and let7-family influences tube formation ability of ECs. In vivo, ASC derived EVs support fat grafting, enhance wound healing both in healthy and diabetic environment, and provide cardioprotection. Therefore, ASC EVs show potential for therapeutic angiogenesis but currently there is a lack of clinical trials in EV research.

Radiation induced tumor cell death is strongly dependent on oxygen. As abnormal tumor vasculature promotes tumor hypoxia, drugs that induce vascular normalization, such as the anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) antibody, have been tested as radiation sensitizers in preclinical and clinical settings. The insufficient benefit obtained with anti-VEGF therapy prompted us to test if antibodies blocking the endothelial growth factor angiopoietin-2 (Ang2) could improve the effect of radiation in mouse tumor allografts and human tumor xenografts. Mouse or human tumor cells were injected subcutaneously in isogenic immunocompetent or immunodeficient (NSG) mice, respectively, and tumors were allowed to form. The mice were injected with anti-Ang2 or control antibodies every three or four days starting three days before 3x2 Gy or 4x0.5 Gy whole-body radiation, followed by analysis of tumor growth, histology, vasculature, hypoxia and necrosis. Combination treatment with anti-Ang2 and radiation improved tumor growth inhibition and extended the survival of mice with melanoma or colorectal carcinoma allografts. A similar anti-Ang2 plus radiation response was also obtained in immunodeficient mice implanted with a human colorectal carcinoma xenograft, indicating that the adaptive immune response was not essential for the effect. Histological and immunohistochemical analysis of the tumors showed that the combination treatment decreased tumor vasculature, and increased tumor hypoxia and tumor necrosis in comparison with control tumors and tumors treated with the monotherapies. Our results suggest that a combination of Ang2 blocking antibodies and radiation increases tumor growth inhibition and extends the survival of tumor-bearing mice. Significance: These findings offer a preclinical rationale for further testing of the use of Ang2 blocking antibodies in combination with radiation to improve the overall outcome of cancer treatment.

Cyclin dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) is studied to take part in the migration neurons and development of brain. It is proven to participate also in the mediation of endothelial cell migration and angiogenesis. Angiogenesis is a crucial physiological mechanism in mediating wound healing and menstrual cycle among other functions. It is also important in some patophysiological processes like diabetic retinopathy and tumour outgrow. Tumour is shown to need its own vascularisation after reaching a size of 2-3 mm as a diameter in order to proceed growing. This makes Cdk5 a potential therapeutic target in regulating angiogenesis. In order to be activated, Cdk5 forms a complex together with its neuronal activator p35 or p39, or with their respective cleavage products p25 or p29. The mechanisms, how Cdk5 is activated in human ehdothelial cells has not been studied before. This master thesis is to evaluate the existence of Cdk5 activators p35 and p39 and their respective cleavage products in spreading human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) to mimic the cell migration by freshly plating the cells. In our studies we performed western blot analysis and quantitative PCR analysis to investigate the expression of p35 and p25 in spreading HUVECs in different time points. We also performed an immunofluorescence assay to investigate the localisation of p35 and p25 in spreading HUVECs using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). The expression of p35 and p25 was also studied after growth factor stimulation (VEGF, FGF). The expression of the activator p39 in spreading HUVECs was studied using quantitative PCR method. Finally we investigated the interaction of Cdk5 with its activator p35 and its cleavage product p25 in spreading HUVECs using immunoprecipitation (IP). We were able to show in our studies that the activators p35 and p25 are expressed in HUVECs and that their expression is changing in spreading HUVECs in different time points. Additionally we were able to show, that p35 and p25 are partly localized in periphery in spreading cells. We were able to show that also the activator p39 is expressed in spreading HUVECs, but its relative amount was shown to be only a small portion of p35 in HUVECs. We were able to prove the interaction of Cdk5 with its activator p35 and p25 using immunoprecipitation, although the result could not be completely verified. Stimulation with growth factors showed no appreciable changes in the expression of p35 or p25. Based on the results, we can state that both the activator p35 and p39, and at least p25, the cleavage product p35, are expressed also in HUVECs. As they are neuronal activators of Cdk5 and Cdk5 has shown to participate in the mediation of angiogenesis and endothelial cell migration, the results amplify our hypothesis that also these activators might have a role in mediating endothelial cell migration and angiogenesis. Nevertheless to assure it, to specify the possible different roles of each activators and their interaction with Cdk5, further studies are needed.

Human umbilical vein endothelial cells are responsible for maintaining and forming new vessels from existing ones, in a biological process called sprouting angiogenesis. Sprouting angiogenesis is a crucial mechanism for the resolution of hypoxia and normal development of tissues. It also plays a key role in internal plague hemorrhages, which can lead to embolisms and other cardiovascular complications. Angiogenesis is also crucial for cancer development. Sprouting angiogenesis is initiated by hypoxic tissue excreted vascular endothelial growth factor gradient, which induces normal endothelial cells into either a proliferative stalk cell or a signal sensing tip cell phenotype. Both of these cell types depend on the rapid flow of lipids to their plasma membrane, either to form plasma membrane protrusions in tip cells or as new plasma membrane material in dividing stalk cells. This flow is envisioned to involve both vesicle-mediated and non-vesicular mechanisms. A major non-vesicular route of lipid transfer occurs at membrane contact sites via lipid transport proteins. Furthermore, lipids can be transported to the plasma membrane by the direct fusion of vesicles or endosomes with the plasma membrane This thesis set out to explore the role of two membrane contact site proteins, oxysterol-binding protein- related protein 2 and protrudin, in angiogenesis and lipid transfer. Their role was examined by RNA-sequencing transient knock-down samples of these proteins in HUVECs. The RNA-sequencing data was examined by differential expression, gene ontology overrepresentation and gene set enrichment analyses. Gene expression analysis provided almost 10 000 significantly changed transcripts (adjusted p-values < 0.05), in each silenced cell type. The distribution of differentially expressed genes in oxysterol-binding protein- related protein 2 silenced cells, is skewed toward negative fold changes, whereas the distribution of differentially expressed genes in protrudin silenced samples is normally distributed. The results also show significant changes in gene ontologies related to proliferation, cell cycle, angiogenesis as well as hypoxia in both sample types. Gene set enrichment analysis showed upregulation in angiogenesis related pathways, such as the PI3K-Akt and MAPK pathways, in both samples. Significant downregulation was present in cell cycle related pathways and cholesterol biosynthesis pathway in both ORP2 and protrudin silenced samples.

Cardiovascular diseases are reported to be the main cause of death. Inducing the growth of blood vessels, called angiogenesis, holds promising potential for improved vessel reperfusion after myocardial infarction. The vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) and receptors (VEGFRs) are important regulators of blood vessel development, growth, and maintenance. VEGF-A is the protagonist of the family, but as a therapeutical measure, severe side effects impede its use. On the contrary, VEGF-B, which is mainly expressed in the heart and skeletal muscle, lacks a general pro-angiogenic effect. However, overexpression seems to carry angiogenic promise by increasing VEGF-A availability for VEGFR-2 through competition for VEGFR-1 binding. VEGF-B transcripts undergo alternative splicing, resulting in two isoforms, namely VEGF-B167 and VEGF-B186. The different isoform properties affect the VEGF-B bioavailability; thus, they should hold different translational potentials. In vivo, adeno-associated viral vector-mediated transduction of the VEGF-B isoforms resulted in cardiac hypertrophy and increased proliferation of endothelial cells. Both were more potently induced by VEGF-B186 than VEGF-B167, and the proliferation was mostly detected in the sub-endocardial region of the heart. Although the transcript levels were comparable between the isoform groups, the protein level of VEGF-B186 was much greater than VEGF-B167, implying a difference in VEGF-B isoform degradation and receptor binding dynamics. In vitro, endothelial cell regulation of the VEGF-B isoforms suggested a faster degradation of the VEGF-B167 protein. Blocking of neuropilin-1, a VEGFR-1 co-receptor, decreased the amount of VEGF-B167 protein, bound to cultured endothelial cells, whereas blocking of VEGFR-1 increased it, indicating internalization and subsequent degradation through VEGFR-1. Intracellularly, the VEGF-B167 protein increased upon blocking of ubiquitin-mediated degradation using MG132, suggesting that the protein is targeted by the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Thus, overexpression of VEGF-B stimulated a pro-angiogenic response, but of the two isoforms, VEGF-B186 had a more potent effect in the heart, presumably because VEGF-B167 was degraded more rapidly by the endothelial cells. Besides further validation of the in vitro degradation dynamics, live imaging of VEGF-B and its binding targets fused with fluorescent proteins could visualize the binding dynamics. Understanding the different properties and degradation patterns of the VEGF-B isoforms should aid in the clinical translation of their angiogenic potential, but further work is needed to elucidate the function, binding targets, and turnover of VEGF-B.

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death globally. Especially pathological cardiac hypertrophy can be a trigger for severe pathological conditions, such as congestive heart failure. Previously, overexpression of vascular endothelial growth factor B (VEGF-B) in cardiomyocytes has been shown to lead to cardiac hypertrophy, but in a reversible, physiological way. Furthermore, VEGF-B overexpression leads to significant expansion of the coronary vascular tree. This study compares transcriptomics of postnatal and adult murine cardiac endothelial cells (ECs) and examines the transcriptional changes in response to VEGF-B transgene, plus the effect of the VEGF-B transgene on recovery of the murine cardiac ECs from myocardial infarction (MI). I analyzed isolated ECs from VEGF-B transgenic and AAV-VEGF-B transduced mice with single-cell RNA sequencing. The markers used for identification of the cell types applies to all experimental groups, although the proportions of cells differ among the conditions. The myocardial VEGF-B transgene promotes EC proliferation during development and boosts endothelial proliferation also in adult mice both in physiological conditions and after MI. Trajectory analysis indicates that ECs from the VEGF-B treated mice follow a distinct trajectory to enter the cell cycle after MI. These results suggest VEGF-B gene therapy as a new tool for coronary vessel remodeling, which could open new perspectives in the prevention and treatment of myocardial infarction.

Respirometry is a polarographic method that provides insights into mitochondrial respiratory capacity – specifically to electron transport chain (ETC) complexes I to V –, mitochondrial integrity and energy metabolism. The limitation of the respiratory measurements has been that it requires freshly isolated mitochondria or tissue sample. Long-term preservation of mitochondrial function in frozen samples has been a considerable challenge, since the membrane integrity of the mitochondria is lost during the freezing process. Thus, samples do not display coupled respiration. However, previous studies have found that despite coupled respiration is impaired the individual ETC complexes and the ability of ETC supercomplexes to consume oxygen are not destroyed due to freezing and thawing. On the basis of this knowledge, recently published article presented a novel protocol that overcomes the damages caused by freeze-thaw cycles. The protocol also enables respiration measurement of ETC complexes I-IV by using Seahorse XF96 Extracellular flux analyzer. In this MSc thesis I modified and optimized the aforementioned protocol for Oroboros O2k high- resolution respirometry using frozen skeletal muscle samples. In addition, this study provides an optimized sample preparation protocol for frozen muscle samples and respiration measurement. The new method broadens the possibilities within mitochondrial respiration studies since Oroboros O2k high-resolution respirometry records results with high sensitivity without limiting the number of substrates used. The possibility to use frozen samples reduces research costs, simplifies logistics and enables retrospective studies with previously stored frozen tissue samples. I also utilized the optimized respiration measurement protocol to study metabolic effects of combined gene therapy in skeletal muscle. This gene therapy mimics the positive effects of exercise by inducing skeletal muscle growth and angiogenesis. The mimicking effect was induced by systemic delivery of adeno-associated viral vectors encoding pro-myostatin and VEGF-B. In previous studies inhibition of myostatin has been connected to compromised oxidative capacity and vascular rarefaction. In contrast, VEGF-B has demonstrated to induce angiogenesis in several tissues. Thus, my hypothesis was that combination gene therapy would result in better mitochondrial function than pro-myostatin alone. Results from this study indicate that moderate inhibition of myostatin signaling by pro-myostatin using rAAV vectors could provide enhancements in ETC function when it is induced independently or combined with rAAV-VEGF-B. This result lays a solid foundation for future research and could provide a new therapeutic option against muscle loss and related metabolic diseases.

Angiogenesis may be regarded as one of the most important phenomena involved in basic physiology as well as in numerous pathological conditions. Angiogenesis is a multistep process involving the balance of pro- and con-angiogenic factors. Several studies have suggested that angiogenesis is regulated in vitro and in vivo by peptides thymosin ȕ4 (Tȕ4) and tetrapeptide Ac-SDKP (N-acetyl-seryl-aspartyl-lysyl-proline). There are also studies supporting the view that Ac-SDKP, a peptide fragment is released from the proline-containing C-terminus of Tȕ4 (43-mer) by hydrolyzing prolyl oligopeptidase (POP). POP is a widely existing serine protease cleaving oligopeptides of no longer than 30 amino acids. Thus, Tȕ4 should first be cleaved into a shorter peptide by some other, yet unknown peptidase. POP has been mostly studied in memory and learning disorders as well as in neurodegenerative diseases. The true physiological character of POP is still unresolved. In this Master's thesis, the associations of the factors involved in angiogenesis are reviewed in the literature part as well as the character, presence and function of the angiogenic molecules 7ȕ4, Ac-SDKP and POP. In the experimental part attempts were made to find whether POP and Tȕ4 increase Ac-SDKP formation and capillary tube network and consequently, whether the POP activity, tetrapeptide and capillary formation could be inhibited by the proline-spesific POP inhibitor KYP-2047. The study had two phases. The first phase included POP activity and Ac-SDKP measurements(time period 0-180 min) with Wistar rat kidney homogenates. Study groups were 0,1 and 0,5 µM KYP-2047 (+2 µM Tȕ4), 1:20 (0.625 µM) human recombinant POP (+ 2 µM Tȕ4), 2 µM 7ȕ4 (pos. control) and raw homogenate (neg. control). The second phase involved the study of capillary formation (time period 0-180 min) with primary endothelial HUVECs on a 48-well plate seeded with 50 000 cells/well on an extracellular membrane mimicking MatrigelTM Matrix dissolved in DMEM. Study groups treated with fetal bovine serum and antibiotics were 5 and 10 µM KYP-2047 (+4 µM Tȕ4), 1:20 (0.625 µM) human recombinant POP (+4 µM Tȕ4)4 µM Tȕ4 (pos. control) and DMEM (neg. control). The wells were cultured and capillary formation photographed with a light microscope using a digital camera. All experiments were repeated four times, and each study group in wells was measured in triplicate. Enclosed capillaries were counted manually and statistical tests were performed. 7ȕ4 along with POP participated in the formation of AC-SDKP in the kidney homogenates. Cultures of primary endothelial cells on Matrigel resulted in clear capillary formation in Tȕ4 and POP groups. KYP-2047 had a strong POP-inhibitory activity on antiangiogenesis throughout the study resulting. Obviously, underlying mechanisms of angiogenesis and the function of the interaction between POP, Tȕ4 and Ac-SDKP in capillary formation require further studies.

Celiac disease is life-long autoimmune disorder of the small intestine, which is caused by a reaction to gliadin found in wheat, rye and barley in genetically predisposed individuals. Proline- and glutamine -rich proteins cause villous atrophy and crypt hyperplasia with extensive inflammation in the epithelium and lamina propria. Symptoms of celiac disease vary considerably and elimination of gluten from diet is the only way to treat disease. In small intestine of celiac disease patient transglutaminase 2 (TG2) modifies gluten peptides, which causes T-cell activation and inflammation in the epithelium of mucosa. T-cell activation induces development of celiac disease specific antibodies. These celiac disease specific antibodies recognise TG2 and interfere in vitro and in vivo in angiogenesis. Abnormal angiogenesis is typical in many disorders, such in cancer, in which TG2 has a crucial role in the development and growth of tumor. Overexpression of TG2 has been shown to correlate with accelerated growth of tumor. TG2-specific antibodies are suggested to inhibit differentation of epithelial cell, increase their proliferation, decrease their barrier-function and increase the permeability of blood vessels. The aims of the pilot study were to establish whether celiac disease TG2 antibodies affect in vivo tumorigenesis and tumorangiogenesis as well as to try to clarify the mechanism behind the phenomenon. Tumor xenograft model was used in severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice. Human oesophageal carcinoma (OE-19) cancer cells were incubated with celiacs TG2 miniautoantibody (mini 2.8), non-celiac miniautoantibody (mini 6.2) or PBS before cancer cells were injected to mice subcutaneously. During the experiment mice were weighted and tumor size was measured couple of times per week. To estimate the volumes of tumors the following formula was used: π/6 * L* W* H. Experiment lasted for four weeks after which the mice were euthanized, cardiac blood and tissue samples taken and tumours were excised and weighted. Sections were made from tumors and immunohistochemical stainings were done to compare blood vessel areas and to study general tumors'morphology and other parameters. Western blot -analyse were performed to cancer cells. The masses and volumes were clearly smaller in mini 2.8-group compared to control groups and the necrotic area of tumor in mini 2.8 was smallest as percentage compared to control groups. Blood vessel area were smallest in mini 2.8 group. Results suggest that celiac disease anti-TG2-autoantibodies inhibit tumor growth, but the number of animals is insufficient to give an accurate outcome.

Kielisyöpä (TSCC) on yksi yleisimmistä pään ja kaulan alueen syövistä, ja noin puolet siihen sairastuneista kuolee viiden vuoden sisällä diagnoosin saamisesta. Imusolmukkeisiin leviäminen on kielisyövän kohdalla yksi tärkeimmistä ennusteeseen vaikuttavista tekijöistä ja se on kielisyövässä yleisin kuolemaan johtava syy. Koska kieli on elimenä pääasiassa lihasta ja siinä on luontaisesti runsaasti imusuonia, voi kasvaimen angiogeneesillä ja lymfangiogeneesillä olla merkittävä rooli syövän kehittymisessä ja leviämisessä. Kielisyöpäpotilaiden yksilöllisen ennusteen ja hoidon suunnittelun kannalta hyödyllisiä merkkiaineita ja luokittelumenetelmiä on kuitenkin vähän. Tutkimuksemme keskittyi systemaattisen kirjallisuuskatsauksen menetelmin selvittämään, voidaanko veri- ja imusuonimerkkiaineita hyödyntää kielisyöpäpotilaiden ennusteen arvioinnissa. Katsauksemme löysi kolmesta sähköisestä tietokannasta ja yhdestä ulkoisesta lähteestä yhteensä 516 tutkimusta, joista 13 valikoitui lopulliseen analysointiin. Veri- ja imusuonimerkkiaineista tutkimuksia löytyi CD31, CD34, CD105, FVIII, LYVE-1 sekä D2-40 -merkkiaineista. Lopullisista 13 artikkelista seitsemän raportoi jonkin näistä merkkiaineista olevan yhteydessä kielisyöpäpotilaiden alentuneeseen ennusteeseen. Lupaavimmat tulokset koskivat imusuonimerkkiainetta D2-40, josta hakumme tuotti 3 artikkelia. Kahdessa näistä tutkimuksista D2-40-positiivisten suonten korkean määrän raportoitiin olevan yhteydessä alentuneeseen kokonaisselviytymiseen. Kolmannessa tutkimuksessa havaittiin D2-40- ja FVIII-positiivisten suonten välisen suhteen olevan yhteydessä alentuneeseen kokonaisselviytymiseen. Muita merkkiaineita koskevat tulokset olivat ristiriitaisia. Katsauksemme pieneen otokseen vedoten ja osittain lupaavista tuloksista huolimatta, ei mitään tutkituista veri- ja imusuonimerkkiaineista voida vielä suositella kliiniseen käyttöön. Aiheesta tarvitaan lisää tutkimuksia, ennen kuin voidaan tehdä luotettavia johtopäätöksiä merkkiaineiden ennusteellisesta roolista. Systemaattinen katsauksemme ”Prognostic value of blood and lymphatic vessel markers in tongue cancer: A systematic review” julkaistiin viime vuonna kansainvälisessä julkaisusarjassa [Almahmoudi ym. Cancer Science 2019;110(11):3424-3433].