Erythropoietin accelerates the proliferation of glioma cells via activating Akt pathway / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To determine whether erythropoietin (EPO) promotes rapid proliferation of glioma through Akt pathway.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We detected the expression of EPO in human glioma tissues using immunohistochemistry. A nude mouse model bearing human glioma U87 cell xenograft was established and given intraperitoneal injection of EPO or saline every other day, and the tumor growth was observed. In the in vitro experiment, U87 cells were treated with PBS (control), EPO, or EPO with Akt inhibitor, and the expression of p-Akt and cyclin D1 was detected using Western blotting; the cell proliferation rate was determined using cell counting kit-8 and clone formation assay, and the cell cycle changes were analyzed with flow cytometry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with low-grade glioma tissues, high-grade glioma tissues exhibited a significantly increased EPO expression (P=0.0002). In the tumor-bearing mice, EPO treatment significantly increased the expression of EPO (P=0.0006) and p-Akt (P=0.0003) in the tumor and obviously increased the tumor volume (P<0.0001) and weight (P=0.0003). In U87 cells cultured in vitro, EPO treatment obviously accelerated the cell proliferation (P=0.020 on day 3 and 0.028 on day 5), promoted clone formation (P=0.0010), and increased proliferation index (P=0.0028); EPO significantly enhanced the protein expression of p-Akt (P=0.0020) and cyclin D1 (P=0.0022). The application of Akt inhibitor significantly suppressed the effect of EPO in enhancing cyclin D1 and p-Akt expression (both P<0.0001) and promoting cell proliferation.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>EPO can significantly accelerate the proliferation of glioma through Akt pathway.</p>

Effect of nordy on the function of endothelial progenitor cells from human umbilical cord blood induced by vascular endothelial growth factor / 药学学报

This study is to investigate whether the synthesized chiral compound Nordy has influence on the function of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) from human umbilical cord blood induced by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). EPCs were isolated from human umbilical cord blood by density gradient centrifugation. After cultured for 7 -10 days, EPCs were prepared for detecting effect of Nordy on proliferation, migration and tubule-forming activity in Matrigel induced by VEGF. Incubation of EPCs with 100 micromol L(-1) Nordy for 24 h initially inhibited the proliferative capacity of EPCs induced by VEGF (P <0.05). Moreover, 25 -50 micromol L(-1) Nordy also exhibited inhibitory effect at 48 -72 h. In addition, 25 - 100 micromol L(-1) Nordy impaired EPCs migratory and tubule-forming capacity in vitro (P < 0.05). Nordy could inhibit in EPCs the functions of proliferation, migration and tubulogenesis induced by VEGF in vitro, which might be a possible mechanism of its anti-EPCs effects.

Vasculogenic potential of endothelial progenitor cells derived from human umbilical cord blood and their roles in neovascularization of malignant glioma / 中华病理学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate vasculogenic potential of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) derived from human umbilical cord blood and their contribution to the neovascularization of malignant glioma in vivo.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>EPCs were isolated from human umbilical cord blood by density gradient centrifugation. After 7-10 days of culture, EPCs were investigated for CD34 and VEGFR-2 expression by direct immunofluoresent staining. The proliferative activity, migratory capability and forming capillary-like tubules were also monitored after stimulation with VEGF(50 mg/L) in vitro. Moreover, EPCs were administered into tumor-bearing mice, and the tumor and mouse organs were examined under confocal laser scanning microscope to visualize the distribution and localization of transplanted EPCs. In order to quantity the incorporation of EPCs into tumor vessels, cryosections of the tumor tissue were double-labelled with antihuman CD31 and anti-mouse CD31.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After 7 to 10 days of culture, EPCs assumed cobblestone-like monolayer growth pattern with nearly complete confluence, and expressed CD34 and VEGFR-2. Significant proliferative activity, increased migratory capability and forming capillary-like tubules were observed when stimulated with VEGF. The transplanted EPCs in vivo specifically homed to solid tumor tissue and incorporated into the tumor's endothelium. Quantitative analysis revealed that human EPCs contributed significantly to tumor neovascularization by incorporation into tumor vasculature (18.68 +/- 1.32)% of the total vessels.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>EPCs possess the potential to form neovascular network in tumor and play a role in the phenotypical heterogeneity of tumor microvascular architecture.</p>