Quantitation of angiogenesis in vitro induced~by VEGF-A and FGF-2 in two different human endothelial cultures – an all-in-one assay
Issue title: Selected Papers from the 28th Congress on Clinical Hemorheology and Microcirculation of the German Society, Munich, Germany, 20–21 November 2009
Affiliations: Institute of Veterinary Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany | Department of Morphology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium | Institute of Veterinary Anatomy, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany | Berlin-Brandenburg Centre for Regenerative Therapies, Institute of Polymer Research, GKSS Research Centre Geesthacht, Teltow, Germany
Note: [] Corresponding author: Dr. Mahtab Bahramsoltani, Institute of Veterinary Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 43, 04103 Leipzig, Germany. Tel.: +49 341 9738034; Fax: +49 341 9738039; E-mail: bahramsoltani@vetmed.uni-leipzig.de
Abstract: Angiogenic therapy is considered to be a promising tool for treatment of ischemic diseases. Many in vivo and in vitro assays have been developed to identify potential proangiogenic drugs and to investigate their mode of action. However, until now no validated system exists that would allow quantitation of angiogenesis in vitro in only one assay. Here, a previously established all-in-one in vitro assay based on staging of the angiogenic cascade was validated by quantitation of the effects of the known proangiogenic factors VEGF-A and FGF-2. Both growth factors were applied separately or in combination to human endothelial cell cultures derived from the heart and the foreskin, and angiogenesis was quantitated over 30 days of culture. Additionally, gene expression of VEGFR-1, VEGFR-2 and FGFR-1 at 3, 10, 20 or 40 days of cultivation was quantitated by RT-qPCR. In both cultures, VEGF-A as well as FGF-2 induced a run through all defined stages of angiogenesis in vitro. Application of VEGF-A only led to formation of irregular globular endothelial structures, while FGF-2 resulted in development of regular capillary-like structures. Quantitation of the angiogenic effects of VEGF-A and transcripts of VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2 showed that a high VEGFR-1/VEGFR-2 ratio evoked deceleration of angiogenesis.
Keywords: Angiogenesis, quantitative in vitro assay, VEGF-A, FGF-2
