Hypoxic conditioning enhances the angiogenic paracrine activity of human adipose-derived stem cells

Stem Cells Dev. 2013 May 15;22(10):1614-23. doi: 10.1089/scd.2012.0602. Epub 2013 Mar 15.

Abstract

Human adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) secrete cytokines and growth factors that can be harnessed in a paracrine fashion for promotion of angiogenesis, cell survival, and activation of endogenous stem cells. We recently showed that hypoxia is a powerful stimulus for an angiogenic activity from ASCs in vitro and here we investigate the biological significance of this paracrine activity in an in vivo angiogenesis model. A single in vitro exposure of ASCs to severe hypoxia (<0.1% O2) significantly increased both the transcriptional and translational level of the vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) and angiogenin (ANG). The angiogenicity of the ASC-conditioned medium (ASC(CM)) was assessed by implanting ASC(CM)-treated polyvinyl alcohol sponges subcutaneously for 2 weeks in mice. The morphometric analysis of anti-CD31-immunolabeled sponge sections demonstrated an increased angiogenesis with hypoxic ASC(CM) treatment compared to normoxic control ASC(CM) treatment (percentage vascular volume; 6.0%±0.5% in the hypoxic ASC(CM) vs. 4.1%±0.7% in the normoxic ASC(CM), P<0.05). Reduction of VEGF-A and ANG levels in the ASC(CM) with respective neutralizing antibodies before sponge implantation showed a significantly diminished angiogenic response (3.5%±0.5% in anti-VEGF-A treated, 3.2%±0.7% in anti-ANG treated, and 3.5%±0.6% in anti-VEGF-A/ANG treated). Further, both the normoxic and hypoxic ASC(CM) were able to sustain in vivo lymphangiogenesis in sponges. Collectively, the model demonstrated that the increased paracrine production of the VEGF-A and ANG in hypoxic-conditioned ASCs in vitro translated to an in vivo effect with a favorable biological significance. These results further illustrate the potential for utilization of an in vitro optimized ASC(CM) for in vivo angiogenesis-related applications as an effective cell-free technology.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adipose Tissue / cytology*
  • Animals
  • Cell Hypoxia / drug effects
  • Culture Media, Conditioned / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Neovascularization, Physiologic* / drug effects
  • Oxygen / pharmacology
  • Paracrine Communication* / drug effects
  • Ribonuclease, Pancreatic / genetics
  • Ribonuclease, Pancreatic / metabolism
  • Stem Cells / cytology
  • Stem Cells / drug effects
  • Stem Cells / metabolism*
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / genetics
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / metabolism
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C / genetics
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C / metabolism

Substances

  • Culture Media, Conditioned
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C
  • angiogenin
  • Ribonuclease, Pancreatic
  • Oxygen