02.03.2013 Views

Target Discovery and Validation Reviews and Protocols

Target Discovery and Validation Reviews and Protocols

Target Discovery and Validation Reviews and Protocols

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

12<br />

The HUVEC/Matrigel Assay<br />

An In Vivo Assay of Human Angiogenesis Suitable<br />

for Drug <strong>Validation</strong><br />

Dag K. Skovseth, Axel M. Küchler, <strong>and</strong> Guttorm Haraldsen<br />

Summary<br />

The future ability to manipulate the growth of new blood vessels (angiogenesis) holds great<br />

promise for treating ischemic disease <strong>and</strong> cancer. Several models of human in vivo angiogenesis<br />

have been described, but they seem to depend on transgenic support <strong>and</strong> have not been validated<br />

in a therapeutic context. Here, we describe an in vivo assay that mimics human angiogenesis in<br />

which native human umbilical vein-derived endothelial cells are suspended in a liquid<br />

laminin/collagen gel (Matrigel), injected into immunodeficient mice, <strong>and</strong> develop into mature,<br />

functional vessels that vascularize the Matrigel plug in the course of 30 d. Moreover, we demonstrate<br />

how to target this process therapeutically by sustained delivery of the angiogenesis inhibitor<br />

endostatin from subcutaneously implanted microosmotic pumps.<br />

Key Words: Adoptive transfer; angiogenesis; endostatin; human umbilical vein-derived<br />

endothelial cells; HUVECs; Matrigel; RAG2 mice.<br />

1. Introduction<br />

Angiogenesis is the growth of new capillaries from preexisting blood vessels<br />

(1,2). This multistep process begins with the activation of quiescent endothelial<br />

cells (ECs) leading to vessel dilation <strong>and</strong> permeabilization accompanied by<br />

degradation of the basement membrane. ECs then migrate toward the angiogenic<br />

stimulus <strong>and</strong> proliferate to form new patent tubules surrounded by a new basement<br />

membrane. The ECs of the sprouting, new vessels adapt to the local dem<strong>and</strong><br />

of the tissue by differentiation into capillaries, veins, or arteries, <strong>and</strong> they are subsequently<br />

stabilized by recruitment of perivascular cells (reviewed in ref. 3).<br />

From: Methods in Molecular Biology, vol. 360, <strong>Target</strong> <strong>Discovery</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Validation</strong> <strong>Reviews</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Protocols</strong><br />

Volume I, Emerging Strategies for <strong>Target</strong>s <strong>and</strong> Biomarker <strong>Discovery</strong><br />

Edited by: M. Sioud © Humana Press Inc., Totowa, NJ<br />

253

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!