Inflammation-induced activation of endothelium constitutes one of the earliest changes during atherogenesis. New imaging techniques that allow detecting activated endothelial cells can improve the identification of persons at high cardiovascular risk in early stages. Quantum dots (QDs) have attractive optical properties such as bright fluorescence and high photostability, and have been increasingly studied and developed for bio-imaging and bio-targeting applications. We report here the development of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 binding peptide (VCAM-1 binding peptide) functionalized QDs (VQDs) from amino QDs. It was found that the QD fluorescence signal in tumor necrosis factor [Formula: see text] (TNF-[Formula: see text]) treated endothelial cells in vitro was significantly higher when these cells were labeled with VQDs than amino QDs. The VQD labeling of TNF-[Formula: see text]-treated endothelial cells was VCAM-1 specific since pre-incubation with recombinant VCAM-1 blocked cells' uptake of VQDs. Our ex vivo and in vivo experiments showed that in the inflamed endothelium, QD fluorescence signal from VQDs was also much stronger than that of amino QDs. Moreover, we observed that the QD fluorescence peak was significantly blue-shifted after VQDs interacted with aortic endothelial cells in vivo and in vitro. A similar blue-shift was observed after VQDs were incubated with recombinant VCAM-1 in tube. We anticipate that the specific interaction between VQDs and VCAM-1 and the blue-shift of the QD fluorescence peak can be very useful for VCAM-1 detection in vivo.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3877406PMC
http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0083805PLOS

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

endothelial cells
16
amino qds
12
quantum dots
8
inflamed endothelium
8
binding peptide
8
vqds amino
8
fluorescence signal
8
recombinant vcam-1
8
fluorescence peak
8
vqds
7

Similar Publications

Introduction: Effects of Dapagliflozin (Dapa) and Dapagliflozin-Saxagliptin combination (Combo) was examined on peripheral blood derived CD34 + Hematopoetic Stem Cells (HSCs) as a cellular CVD biomarker. Both Dapa (a sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 or SGLT2, receptor inhibitor) and Saxagliptin (a Di-peptydl-peptidase-4 or DPP4 enzyme inhibitor) are commonly used type 2 diabetes mellitus or T2DM medications, however the benefit of using the combination has not been evaluated for cardio-renal risk assessment, in a real-life practice setting, compared to a placebo.

Hypothesis: We hypothesized that Dapa will improve the outcomes when compared to placebo and the Combo maybe even more beneficial.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Semaphorin-4D signaling in recruiting dental stem cells for vascular stabilization.

Stem Cell Res Ther

January 2025

Applied Oral Sciences and Community Dental Care, Faculty of Dentistry, Prince Philip Dental Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, 34 Hospital Road, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR.

Background: Achieving a stable vasculature is crucial for tissue regeneration. Endothelial cells initiate vascular morphogenesis, followed by mural cells that stabilize new vessels. This study investigated the in vivo effects of Sema4D-Plexin-B1 signaling on stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED)-supported angiogenesis, focusing on its mechanism in PDGF-BB secretion.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The vascular endothelial growth factor receptor is essential for the angiogenesis of cancer. Tumor propagation was effectively suppressed by inhibiting VEGFR-2 activity. As a result, the target quinoxaline-pyrazole hybrids were created in a way that closely resembled the structural characteristics of VEGFR-2 inhibitors.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction And Importance: Angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia (ALHE) is a rare benign vascular tumor characterized by abnormal endothelial proliferation and inflammatory cell infiltration, primarily affecting the head and neck region. The diverse clinical presentations of ALHE pose significant diagnostic challenges, often leading to misdiagnosis. Accurate histopathological examination is crucial for differentiating ALHE from other vascular lesions and guiding appropriate treatment.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infects cells by attaching to heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG) and Na/taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide (NTCP). The endothelial lipase LIPG bridges HSPG and HBV, facilitating HBV attachment. From a randomized peptide expression library, we identified a short sequence binding to LIPG.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!