Age-related morphology and function of human arterial endothelial cells

Issue title: Selected post-conference papers of the 38th Conference of the German Society for Clinical Microcirculation and Hemorheology, 21-23 November 2019, Braunschweig, Germany

Guest editors: P. Wiggermann, A. Krüger-Genge and F. Jung

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Lau, S.^a | Rangarajan, R.^b | Krüger-Genge, A.^{a; 1} | Braune, S.^a | Küpper, J.-H.^c | Lendlein, A.^{a; b} | Jung, F.^{a; *}

Affiliations: [a] Institute of Biomaterial Science and Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, Teltow, Germany | [b] Institute of Chemistry, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany | [c] Institute of Biotechnology, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg, Senftenberg, Germany

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: Prof. Dr. Friedrich Jung. E-mail: friedrich.jung@hzg.de.

Note: [1] Current address: Department of Anesthesia, Pain Management and Perioperative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada.

Abstract: Endothelialization of cardiovascular implants is regarded as a promising strategy for long-term compatibility. While umbilical vein endothelial cells are typically applied in research, human arterial endothelial cells (HAEC) from elderly donors would be the obvious source for autologous cellularization strategies. In our approach, HAEC from 16 donors of varying age (16–63 years) were divided into two groups (<30 years and >30 years) and analyzed regarding morphology, viability, proliferation, function and senescence status. No age-related differences were found regarding morphology, viability, density, prostacyclin and nitrite secretion or collagen and laminin production. However, the metabolic activity was slightly decreased (p = 0.0374) and the membrane integrity marginally impaired (p = 0.0404) in cells from older donors. Two out of three senescence assays detected more senescence markers in cells from older donors. According to the assays applied here, HAEC from young and elderly donors up to the age of 63 years could be judged equally suitable for autologous cellularization strategies. However, this finding should be regarded with caution due to the extremely large variability between individual donors. Further studies comprising a larger sample size are necessary to investigate this issue more thoroughly.

Keywords: Cardiovascular implants, arterial endothelial cells, aging, senescence, donor variability

DOI: 10.3233/CH-199238

Journal: Clinical Hemorheology and Microcirculation, vol. 74, no. 1, pp. 93-107, 2020