title: Endothelial Cells Derived from Non-malignant Tissues Are of Limited Value as Models for Brain Tumor Vasculature.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Human umbilical cord vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) are commonly chosen over freshly isolated endothelial cells from glioblastomas (GECs) due to accessibility and costs.
  
  
  METHODS
  To test their suitability for in vitro studies, we comprehensively compared the transcriptomes and responses to major angiogenic cytokines of HUVECs (n=2) and GECs (n=5). Purity of GEC cultures was confirmed by uptake of acetylated low-density protein and immunostaining.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Unsupervised analysis revealed a distinct grouping. We identified 854 differentially expressed genes. Pathway and gene ontology enrichment analyses pointed to clear differences in angiogenesis and leukocyte transmigration. Comparing the expression of cell adhesion molecules in five major angiogenic cytokines revealed that HUVECs in contrast to GECs did not exhibit a previously described down-regulation of cell adhesion molecules upon incubation with transforming growth factor betas, but rather with basic fibroblast growth factor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Given our findings, we strongly recommend the use of GECs as model cells for brain tumor endothelium for experiments investigating angiogenesis and immunobiology.
authors.affiliation: Division of Experimental Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lohr
authors.affiliation: Division of Experimental Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mock
authors.affiliation: Translational Immunology Unit, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Beckhove
authors.affiliation: Division of Experimental Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany H.Mende@med.uni-heidelberg.de.
authors.forename: Christel
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Herold-Mende
mesh_terms: D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D061307:Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D009363:Neoplasm Proteins
keywords: Endothelial cells; HUVEC; brain tumor; culture; vasculature