Fascia tissue engineering with human adipose-derived stem cells in a murine model: Implications for pelvic floor reconstruction.

Background/purpose: Mesh-augmented vaginal surgery for treatment of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) does not meet patients' needs. This study aims to test the hypothesis that fascia tissue engineering using adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) might be a potential therapeutic strategy for reconstructing the pelvic floor.

Methods: Human ADSCs were isolated, differentiated, and characterized in vitro.

A prototype tissue engineered blood vessel using amniotic membrane as scaffold.

In this study, we used amniotic membrane (AM), a natural extracellular matrix, as a scaffold for the fabrication of tissue engineered blood vessels (TEBVs). The inner surface of the denuded glutaraldehyde cross-linked AM tube was endothelialized with porcine vascular endothelial cells (ECs) and subjected to a physiological (12 dynecm(-2)) shear stress (SS) for 2 and 4 days. The results showed that after applying SS, an intact EC monolayer was maintained in the lumen surface of the TEBV.

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester inhibits proliferation and migration, and induces apoptosis in platelet-derived growth factor-BB-stimulated human coronary smooth muscle cells.

Background/aims: Restenosis after a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) during treatment for coronary artery disease is closely related to smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation and migration. In this study, we investigated the effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) and its underlying mechanism on human coronary SMCs (HCSMCs) after platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) stimulation in vitro.

Methods And Results: The results showed that CAPE inhibited proliferation and migration, and induced apoptosis.

High glucose impairs EDHF-mediated dilation of coronary arterioles via reduced cytochrome P450 activity.

Endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF) is an important vasodilator that regulates the vasomotor function. However, it remains unclear whether diabetes/hyperglycemia-induced vascular impairments extend to the EDHF. The present study aims to determine the effect of high glucose (HG) on EDHF-mediated arteriolar dilation and the underlying mechanism.

Interaction abolishment between mutant caveolin-1(Δ62-100) and ABCA1 reduces HDL-mediated cellular cholesterol efflux.

Our previous study shows that caveolin-1 colocalizes and interacts with ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1), which is intimately involved in cellular cholesterol efflux. In this study, we further clarified the region of caveolin-1 that interacts with ABCA1. We also examined the interaction between mutant caveolin-1 and ABCA1 in HDL-mediated cholesterol efflux.

Tissue-engineered fascia from vaginal fibroblasts for patients needing reconstructive pelvic surgery.

Introduction And Hypothesis: Mesh-augmented reconstructive surgery for pelvic organ prolapse (POP) does not meet clinical expectations. A tissue-engineered fascia equivalent needs to be developed.

Methods: Human vaginal fibroblasts (HVFs) from 10 patients were characterized in vitro.

ABCA1 modulates the oligomerization and Golgi exit of caveolin-1 during HDL-mediated cholesterol efflux in aortic endothelial cells.

Previously, the authors have shown that the molecular interaction between caveolin-1 and ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) is associated with the high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-mediated cholesterol efflux pathway in aortic endothelial cells (ECs). This study analyzed the role ABCA1 plays in caveolin-1-mediated cholesterol efflux in aortic ECs. Knockdown of ABCA1 by siRNA in primary rat aortic ECs after cholesterol treatment did not affect caveolin-1 expression but led to the retention of caveolin-1 in the Golgi apparatus, impaired caveolin-1 oligomerization, and reduced cholesterol efflux.

Use of RAPD to detect sodium arsenite-induced DNA damage in human lymphoblastoid cells.

Inorganic arsenic is a known human carcinogen, yet its mechanism of action remains unclear. Our previous study showed that arsenite significantly induces oxidative DNA adducts and DNA-protein cross-links in several mammalian cell lines. In the present study, we used the random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) assay to evaluate the possible target in the genomic DNA of human lymphoblastoid cells that were exposed to sodium arsenite.

Molecular interaction between caveolin-1 and ABCA1 on high-density lipoprotein-mediated cholesterol efflux in aortic endothelial cells.

Objective: Caveolin-1 and ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) are proteins that are involved in cellular cholesterol efflux. In this study, we analyzed the relationships between caveolin-1 and ABCA1 on high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-mediated cholesterol efflux in rat aortic endothelial cells.

Methods And Results: Overexpression of caveolin-1 by transfection with caveolin-1 cDNA in aortic endothelial cells up-regulated ABCA1 expression and enhanced cholesterol efflux.

Characterization of porcine arterial endothelial cells cultured on amniotic membrane, a potential matrix for vascular tissue engineering.

The existing of basement membrane improves the development of endothelium while constructing blood vessel equivalent. The amniotic membrane (AM) provides a natural basement membrane and has been used in ocular surface reconstruction. This study evaluated the molecular and cellular characteristics of porcine vascular endothelial cells (ECs) cultured on AM.

Caveolin-1 expression is associated with plaque formation in hypercholesterolemic rabbits.

Caveolin-1, the major structural protein of caveolae, is present in several cell types known to play a role in the development of atherosclerosis. In this study, the distribution and expression of caveolin-1 in the arterial walls were studied in hypercholesterolemic rabbits. Immunohistochemical results indicated that the staining intensity of caveolin-1 reached a high level in the arterial intima at 5 weeks after high-cholesterol-diet treatment and decreased to a very low level at 8 weeks when atheromatous plaques appeared.

Cellular localization and interaction of ABCA1 and caveolin-1 in aortic endothelial cells after HDL incubation.

The goal of this study was to investigate the cellular localization and the interaction between caveolin-1 and ABCA1 in cholesterol-loaded aortic endothelial cells after HDL incubation. Immunofluorescence confocal microscopy showed that ABCA1 was found primarily on the cell surface, whereas caveolin-1 was revealed on the cell surface and in the cytoplasm. The HDL appeared to colocalize with ABCA1 and caveolin-1 on the cell surface.

Effect of EGCG, a major component of green tea, on the expression of Ets-1, c-Fos, and c-Jun during angiogenesis in vitro.

In this study, we used rat aortic endothelial cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells growing in collagen gel as a model system to study the tea catechin, (-)-epigallocatechin (EGCG), on the differential expression of transcription factors, Ets-1, c-Fos, and c-Jun during endothelial morphogenesis in vitro. Cells growing in collagen gel from 0 to 2 h remained spherical. After 6 h, the cells became elongated and underwent morphogenesis.

Use of gain-of-function study to delineate the roles of crumbs in Drosophila eye development.

The cell polarity gene, crumbs (crb)), has been shown to participate in the development and degeneration of the Drosophila retina. Mutations in CRB1, the human homologue of Drosophila crb, also result in retinitis pigmentosa and Leber congenital amaurosis. In this study, we used the gain-of-function approach to delineate the roles of CRB in developing Drosophila eye.

Propagation and phenotypic preservation of rabbit limbal epithelial cells on amniotic membrane.

Purpose: To describe the phenotypic characteristics of a limbal epithelial cell sheet outgrowth from a limbal explant cultured on amniotic membrane.

Method: Immunofluorescent staining and confocal microscopy were used to examine the expressions of p63, Ki-67, keratins 3 and 14, connexin 43, and the integrin alpha6/beta4 and alpha3/beta1 subunits in corneal and limbal tissues in a limbal explant and epithelial outgrowth cultured for 2 weeks on amniotic membrane.

Results: The expression patterns of p63, Ki-67, keratins, integrins, and connexin 43 in a limbal explant with an epithelial outgrowth cultured for 2 weeks on amniotic membrane resembled those in freshly prepared limbus.

Visualization of the uptake of high-density lipoprotein by rat aortic endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells in vitro.

High-density lipoproteins (HDL) were conjugated to Fluorescein 1,1'-dioctadecyl 3,3,3',3'-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate (DiI) or colloidal gold for the investigation of ultrastructural aspects of binding and uptake of HDL by cholesterol-loaded cultured endothelial and smooth muscle cells from rat aorta. When cells were incubated for 2 h at 4 degrees C, HDL-DiI and HDL-gold conjugates were seen only on the cell surface. When cells were returned to incubation at 37 degrees C for 5 min, HDL-DiI appeared in the cytoplasm and colocalized with the fluorescent cholesteryl ester tag BODIPY-FL-C12.