Endothelial cells in endogenous and transplanted pancreatic islets: differences in the expression of angiogenic peptides and receptors.
OBJECTIVE
An important reason for the large amount of islets required for successful islet transplantation is likely to be inadequate engraftment of the transplanted islets. Thus, the revascularization is of major importance for graft survival. In order to study the expression of angiogenic peptides and receptors on islet endothelial cells (EC), we needed methods giving access to such endothelium. Therefore, we developed methods to isolate EC from islets transplanted intraportally or beneath the kidney capsule.


METHODS
Pancreatic islets were isolated, cultured and syngeneically transplanted into the liver or beneath the kidney capsule of C57BL/6 mice. One month post-transplantation, the islets were retrieved and EC from these islets were explanted. EC were also collected from freshly isolated and cultured non-transplanted islets. The EC were purified with Dynabeads and identified with immunocytochemistry. Angiogenesis GEArray technology was used to study angiogenic gene expression.


RESULTS
Several angiogenic genes were expressed in EC; e.g. endostatin, pigment-epithelial derived factor, vascular endothelial growth factor and angiopoietin-2, and their expression were affected by culture.


CONCLUSIONS
The expression of angiogenesis-related genes in islet EC from non-transplanted islets is affected by culture. Moreover, we also describe a technique, which makes it possible to obtain EC from transplanted islets.
Mattsson
Göran
G
Department of Medical Cell Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. Goran.Mattsson@medcellbio.uu.se
Danielsson
Anders
A
Kriz
Vitezslav
V
Carlsson
Per-Ola
PO
Jansson
Leif
L
D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D016381:Islets of Langerhans Transplantation / Q000502:physiology*; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D036361:Peptide Hormones / Q000502:physiology*; D037121:Plant Lectins; D012313:RNA / Q000096:biosynthesis
D036361:Peptide Hormones; D037121:Plant Lectins; D012313:RNA