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Postnatal bone marrow stromal cells elicit a potent VEGF-dependent neoangiogenic response in vivo

Gene Therapy volume 10, pages 621–629 (2003)Cite this article

Abstract

Bone marrow stromal cells (MSCs) are pluripotent cells capable of differentiation into several tissue types. This present study was performed to determine their functional neoangiogenic potential in vivo. Whole bone marrow was harvested from C57Bl/6 mice, and the adherent cellular fraction was culture expanded for 14 doublings. These MSCs were resuspended in Matrigel and their angiogenic effect assessed in isogenic recipients. At 2 weeks postimplantation, the mean vascular density in Matrigel plugs containing 2 × 106 MSCs/ml was 41±5.0 blood vessels (BVs)/mm2 compared to 0.5±0.7 for empty Matrigel (P<0.001). In comparison, Matrigel plugs containing either recombinant murine VEGF 165 at 50 ng/ml or bovine bFGF at 1000 ng/ml generated 21±5 and 11±2.0 BV/mm2, respectively. Arteriogenesis was observed only in the MSC-containing implants. With the use of LacZ retroviral labeling of ex vivo expanded MSCs, we show that ∼10% of LacZ+MSCs differentiated into CD31+ and VEGF+ endothelial cells. More than 99% of the neoangiogenic phenomena arose from recruitment of host-derived LacZnull vascular structures. Neutralizing anti-VEGF antibodies inhibited the MSC-initiated angiogenic response in vivo by 85% (P<0.001). In conclusion, MSCs have the ability to effectively recruit and participate in angiogenesis and arteriogenesis de novo and VEGF plays a central role in the observed host-derived angiogenic response. We propose that ex vivo expanded autologous MSCs may serve as cell therapy to promote therapeutic angiogenesis.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Grant MOP-15017. JG is recipient of a CIHR Clinician-Scientist Award and NE is supported by a Leukemia Research Fund of Canada Fellowship.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, McGill University Health Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

    A Al-Khaldi & K Lachapelle

  2. Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

    N Eliopoulos, L Lejeune & J Galipeau

  3. School of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada

    D Martineau

  4. Division of Hematology/Oncology, Jewish General Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

    J Galipeau

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  1. A Al-Khaldi
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  2. N Eliopoulos
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  6. J Galipeau
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Al-Khaldi, A., Eliopoulos, N., Martineau, D. et al. Postnatal bone marrow stromal cells elicit a potent VEGF-dependent neoangiogenic response in vivo. Gene Ther 10, 621–629 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.gt.3301934

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