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Mierke CT. Physical and biological advances in endothelial cell-based engineered co-culture model systems. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2023; 147:58-69. [PMID: 36732105 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2023.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Scientific knowledge in the field of cell biology and mechanobiology heavily leans on cell-based in vitro experiments and models that favor the examination and comprehension of certain biological processes and occurrences across a variety of environments. Cell culture assays are an invaluable instrument for a vast spectrum of biomedical and biophysical investigations. The quality of experimental models in terms of simplicity, reproducibility, and combinability with other methods, and in particular the scale at which they depict cell fate in native tissues, is critical to advancing the knowledge of the comprehension of cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions in tissues and organs. Typically, in vitro models are centered on the experimental tinkering of mammalian cells, most often cultured as monolayers on planar, two-dimensional (2D) materials. Notwithstanding the significant advances and numerous findings that have been accomplished with flat biology models, their usefulness for generating further new biological understanding is constrained because the simple 2D setting does not reproduce the physiological response of cells in natural living tissues. In addition, the co-culture systems in a 2D stetting weakly mirror their natural environment of tissues and organs. Significant advances in 3D cell biology and matrix engineering have resulted in the creation and establishment of a new type of cell culture shapes that more accurately represents the in vivo microenvironment and allows cells and their interactions to be analyzed in a biomimetic approach. Contemporary biomedical and biophysical science has novel advances in technology that permit the design of more challenging and resilient in vitro models for tissue engineering, with a particular focus on scaffold- or hydrogel-based formats, organotypic cultures, and organs-on-chips, which cover the purposes of co-cultures. Even these complex systems must be kept as simplified as possible in order to grasp a particular section of physiology too very precisely. In particular, it is highly appreciated that they bridge the space between conventional animal research and human (patho)physiology. In this review, the recent progress in 3D biomimetic culturation is presented with a special focus on co-cultures, with an emphasis on the technological building blocks and endothelium-based co-culture models in cancer research that are available for the development of more physiologically relevant in vitro models of human tissues under normal and diseased conditions. Through applications and samples of various physiological and disease models, it is possible to identify the frontiers and future engagement issues that will have to be tackled to integrate synthetic biomimetic culture systems far more successfully into biomedical and biophysical investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Tanja Mierke
- Faculty of Physics and Earth Science, Peter Debye Institute of Soft Matter Physics, Biological Physics Division, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany.
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Shafiee S, Shariatzadeh S, Zafari A, Majd A, Niknejad H. Recent Advances on Cell-Based Co-Culture Strategies for Prevascularization in Tissue Engineering. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2021; 9:745314. [PMID: 34900955 PMCID: PMC8655789 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2021.745314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Currently, the fabrication of a functional vascular network to maintain the viability of engineered tissues is a major bottleneck in the way of developing a more advanced engineered construct. Inspired by vasculogenesis during the embryonic period, the in vitro prevascularization strategies have focused on optimizing communications and interactions of cells, biomaterial and culture conditions to develop a capillary-like network to tackle the aforementioned issue. Many of these studies employ a combination of endothelial lineage cells and supporting cells such as mesenchymal stem cells, fibroblasts, and perivascular cells to create a lumenized endothelial network. These supporting cells are necessary for the stabilization of the newly developed endothelial network. Moreover, to optimize endothelial network development without impairing biomechanical properties of scaffolds or differentiation of target tissue cells, several other factors, including target tissue, endothelial cell origins, the choice of supporting cell, culture condition, incorporated pro-angiogenic factors, and choice of biomaterial must be taken into account. The prevascularization method can also influence the endothelial lineage cell/supporting cell co-culture system to vascularize the bioengineered constructs. This review aims to investigate the recent advances on standard cells used in in vitro prevascularization methods, their co-culture systems, and conditions in which they form an organized and functional vascular network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sepehr Shafiee
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Siavash Shariatzadeh
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Zafari
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Alireza Majd
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hassan Niknejad
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Li X, Xue X, Sun Y, Chen L, Zhao T, Yang W, Chen Y, Zhang Z. MicroRNA-326-5p enhances therapeutic potential of endothelial progenitor cells for myocardial infarction. Stem Cell Res Ther 2019; 10:323. [PMID: 31730013 PMCID: PMC6858781 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-019-1413-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2019] [Revised: 08/28/2019] [Accepted: 09/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Our study sought to investigate the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of miR-326-5p-overexpressing endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) on acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Methods Mouse EPCs were isolated, purified, and identified by flow cytometry and uptake of DiI-ac-LDL. The target gene of miR-326-5p was predicted using target prediction algorithms and verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay, RT-qPCR, and Western blot. After EPCs were transfected with the agomir or antagomir of miR-326-5p, tube formation assay and Matrigel plug angiogenesis assay were conducted in four groups (NC, miR-326-5p agomir, miR-326-5p antagomir, and miR-326-5p agomir+Wnt1 agonist). In addition, a mouse model of MI was established and treated with the injection of miR-326-5p-EPCs, miR-326-5p-EPCs+ Wnt1 agonist, EPCs-NC, or PBS/control into the peri-infarcted myocardium. Subsequently, cardiac function was monitored by echocardiography at 7 and 28 days postoperatively. Finally, the infarcted hearts were collected at 28 days, and the size of myocardial infarction was measured by Masson’s trichrome staining and the neovascularization in the peri-infarcted area was examined through immunofluorescence staining. Results Luciferase reporter assay indicated that Wnt1 was a direct target of miR-326-5p. Using RT-qPCR and Western blot analysis, we further demonstrated that the expression level of Wnt1 was negatively correlated with miR-326-5p expression in EPCs. Both in vitro study of tube formation assay and in vivo investigation of subcutaneous Matrigel plug assay revealed that the miR-326-5p agomir could significantly enhance the angiogenic capacity of EPCs, and this effect was partially inhibited by Wnt1 agonist. Meanwhile, miR-326-5p antagomir could obviously reduce the the angiogenic capacity of EPCs in vivo compared with that in the NC group. Moreover, the transplantation of miR-326-5p-overexpressing EPCs in the ischemic hearts of mice significantly enhanced the angiogenesis in the peri-infarcted zone and improved the cardiac function. However, the enhanced capacity of angiogenesis of miR-326-5p-overexpressing EPCs was remarkably neutralized by Wnt1 agonist, accompanied by the decreased improvement in cardiac function. Conclusion miR-326-5p significantly enhanced the angiogenic capacity of EPCs. Transplantation of miR-326-5p-overexpressing EPCs improved cardiac function for AMI therapy, which can be a novel strategy for enhancing therapeutic angiogenesis in ischemic heart diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoting Li
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, No.1055, Sanxiang Road, Suzhou, 215004, China
| | - Xiang Xue
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, No.1055, Sanxiang Road, Suzhou, 215004, China
| | - Yuejun Sun
- Department of Pathology, Affiliated Jiangyin Hospital of Southeast University Medical College, Jiangyin, 214400, Jiangsu, China
| | - Lei Chen
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, No.1055, Sanxiang Road, Suzhou, 215004, China
| | - Ting Zhao
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, No.1055, Sanxiang Road, Suzhou, 215004, China
| | - Wentao Yang
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, No.1055, Sanxiang Road, Suzhou, 215004, China
| | - Yongbing Chen
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, No.1055, Sanxiang Road, Suzhou, 215004, China.
| | - Zhiwei Zhang
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, No.1055, Sanxiang Road, Suzhou, 215004, China.
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Rosca AM, Mitroi DN, Cismasiu V, Badea R, Necula-Petrareanu G, Preda MB, Niculite C, Tutuianu R, Szedlacsek S, Burlacu A. Collagen regulates the ability of endothelial progenitor cells to protect hypoxic myocardium through a mechanism involving miR-377/VE-PTP axis. J Cell Mol Med 2018; 22:4700-4708. [PMID: 30044046 PMCID: PMC6156385 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.13712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2018] [Accepted: 05/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The possibility to employ stem/progenitor cells in the cardiovascular remodelling after myocardial infarction is one of the main queries of regenerative medicine. To investigate whether endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) participate in the restoration of hypoxia-affected myocardium, we used a co-culture model that allowed the intimate interaction between EPCs and myocardial slices, mimicking stem cell transplantation into the ischaemic heart. On this model, we showed that EPCs engrafted to some extent and only transiently survived into the host tissue, yet produced visible protective effects, in terms of angiogenesis and protection against apoptosis and identified miR-377-VE-PTP axis as being involved in the protective effects of EPCs in hypoxic myocardium. We also showed that collagen, the main component of the myocardial scar, was important for these protective effects by preserving VE-PTP levels, which were otherwise diminished by miR-377. By this, a good face of the scar is revealed, which was so far perceived as having only detrimental impact on the exogenously delivered stem/progenitor cells by affecting not only the engraftment, but also the general protective effects of stem cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana-Maria Rosca
- Institute of Cellular Biology and Pathology "Nicolae Simionescu", Bucharest, Romania
| | - Daniel Nicolae Mitroi
- Institute of Cellular Biology and Pathology "Nicolae Simionescu", Bucharest, Romania
| | | | - Rodica Badea
- Institute of Biochemistry of the Romanian Academy, Bucharest, Romania
| | | | - Mihai Bogdan Preda
- Institute of Cellular Biology and Pathology "Nicolae Simionescu", Bucharest, Romania
| | | | - Raluca Tutuianu
- Institute of Cellular Biology and Pathology "Nicolae Simionescu", Bucharest, Romania
| | - Stefan Szedlacsek
- Institute of Biochemistry of the Romanian Academy, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Alexandrina Burlacu
- Institute of Cellular Biology and Pathology "Nicolae Simionescu", Bucharest, Romania
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