An in vitro model for the study of human bone marrow angiogenesis: Role of hematopoietic cytokines

Abstract

This study describes a human bone marrow endothelial cell culture in which endothelial cells are organized into capillary tubes. These endothelial cells were positive for yon Willebrand Factor, expressed CD34, CD31, and L- fucose residues, took up acetylated low-density lipoproteins, contained Weibel-Palade bodies, and were ensheathed in a basal lamina (which included laminin β1, EDa+ and EDb+ fibronectin, and collagen type iv). Pericytes expressing α-smooth muscle (α-SM) actin were spatially associated with the capillary tubes and there was a highly significant correlation between the number of capillary tubes and pericytes. In this model, basal angiogenesis was found to be vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-dependent, because neutralization of endogenous VEGF induced a dramatic regression in the number of tubes. However, the presence of α-SM actin-expressing pericytes in the linings of endothelial tubes partially prevented the VEGF-neutralized tube regression. We also observed that nitric oxide production contributed to basal angiogenesis and that upregulation of nitric oxide increased the number of tubes. Tube numbers also decreased when antibodies neutralizing the integrin αvβ5 were applied to the cultures. Moreover, addition of any of the hematopoietic cytokines, erythropoietin, stem cell factor, granulocytic colony stimulating factor, or granulomonocytic colony stimulating factor induced a highly significant increase in tube formation. When erythropoietin and granulocytic colony stimulating factor were added, this increase was larger than the maximum increase observed with VEGF. Thus, we have described an in vitro model for human bone marrow angiogenesis in which pericytes and basal lamina matrix were associated with endothelial cells and formed fully organized capillary tubes. In this model, cytokines known to regulate hematopoiesis also seemed to be mediators of angiogenesis. This culture system may therefore prove to be a valuable tool for the study of hematopoietic cytokines on angiogenesis.