Morphology and transfection study of human microvascular endothelial cell angiogenesis: an in vitro three-dimensional model.

Microvascular endothelial cells from human neonatal foreskin were grown in vitro until a three-dimensional network of capillary-like structures was formed. All stages of the angiogenic cascade could be observed in this in vitro model, including the formation of an internal lumen. The microscopy focused on morphology, formation of an internal lumen, role of the extracellular matrix, polarity of the cells, and the time-course of the angiogenic cascade.

Endostatin cDNA/cationic liposome complexes as a promising therapy to prevent lung metastases in osteosarcoma: study in a human-like rat orthotopic tumor.

Antiangiogenesis or destruction of tumor neovessels is an effective strategy to prevent tumor growth. Endostatin, one of the many inhibitors of angiogenesis that have been discovered, has shown conflicting results in preclinical assays. We studied the therapeutic potential of lipid/DNA complexes consisting of cationic liposomes and an endostatin-coding plasmid (Endo cDNA/CLP) in an orthotopic osteosarcoma model in rats.

Targeting diphtheria toxin A-chain transcription to activated endothelial cells using an E-selectin promoter.

Targeting the transcription of a toxin gene to activated endothelial cells might be used for inhibiting angiogenesis in solid tumors. As a model, we transiently transfected human endothelial cells (HUVEC) in culture with expression plasmids for the toxic A-chain of diphtheria toxin (DT-A), using electroporation (achieving approximately 70% transfection efficiency). Protein synthesis in HUVEC was highly sensitive to DT-A expression from constitutive viral promoters.