OBJECTIVETo immunopurify human endometrial endothelial cells (HEEC) from fresh surgical specimens of endometrial cancers and normal endometrial tissues, and investigate their biological characteristics.

METHODSEndothelial cells of endometrial cancers and normal endometrial tissues were isolated using anti-CD31 conjugated magnetic microbeads. The isolated endothelial cells were cultured in vitro and their origins were identified. Their angiogenic characteristics were observed by MTT, wound healing, Transwell cell invasion and tube formation assays.

RESULTSFlow cytometry revealed that the immunopurification technique yielded endothelial cell purity of > 95% in all samples. All purified HEEC were characterized as endothelial cells on the basis of expression of the classical endothelial markers vWF and CD31 as shown by immunofluorescence examination. Although the tumor-associated HEEC didn't show more rapid proliferation than normal HEEC, they exhibited enhanced migration ability (P = 0.006), potent invasiveness (P = 0.033), and elevated tube formation in vitro (P = 0.029).

CONCLUSIONSHuman endometrial endothelial cells can be efficiently isolated from endometrial cancer and normal endometrial tissues by immunomagnetic methods. Tumor-associated HEEC exhibit enhanced migratory ability, potent invasiveness, and elevated tube formation in vitro.