OBJECTIVETo investigate choline promoting angiogenesis on chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM).

METHODSCAM model was prepared, the choline chloride, human vascular endothelial growth factor (hVEGF) and normal saline were added respectively onto the carrier on the CAM, the state of angiogenesis was observed and the number of new blood vessels was counted.

RESULTSCholine chloride was tested at the concentrations of 0.5 nmol/L - 1 mmol/L in this experiment, when its concentrations were increased to 0.01 micromol/L - 1 000 micromol/L, it could stimulate angiogenesis, the minimum effective concentration was tested as 0.01 micromol/L, and its effect for promoting the angiogenesis was equivalent to that of hVEGF, the potent stimulator for angiogenesis.

CONCLUSIONThe result shows that choline can promote angiogenesis in the chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane.

Animals ; Chick Embryo ; blood supply ; drug effects ; Choline ; pharmacology ; Chorioallantoic Membrane ; blood supply ; drug effects ; Neovascularization, Physiologic ; drug effects

Nitric oxide (NO) is a short-life free radical that acts as the small biological molecule, and exists in body extensively. Since its discovery over 20 years ago, NO has been found to play an important regulation role in angiogenesis, nerve and immune system. The subsequent studies also showed that NO exerted an important biological action in wound repairing and healing, which involved in the following phases of wound repair, inflammation, cell proliferation, matrix deposition and remodeling. This paper reviews recent findings from in vitro & in vivo studies of NO in wound repair, and the biological function and mechanisms of NO in wound repair.
Animals ; Humans ; Neovascularization, Physiologic ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; physiology ; therapeutic use ; Wound Healing ; drug effects ; physiology

In recent decades, scientists in Asian and Western countries have been paying great attention to ginseng research. Today, more than 200 ginsenosides and non-saponin constituents have been isolated and identified. Ginsenosides show biological activities only after being deglycosylated by intestinal bacteria. Aglycone protopanaxadiol and protopanaxatriol show the highest bioactivities. According to literature, the noticeable action of ginseng is that of delaying aging and especially increasing the nootropic effect, and it was found for the first time that Rg1 could increase hippocampal neurogenesis in vitro and in vivo under physiological and pathological circumstances. This is one of primary mechanisms underlying many of its pharmacological actions on the central nervous system. Rg1 was further shown to improve learning and memory in normal rats and mice. The nootropic signaling pathway has also been carried out in normal rats, and the Rg1-induced signaling pathway is similar to the memory formation that occurs in mammals, suggesting that Rg1 may have a potential effect in increasing intellectual capacity in normal people. Comparisons of chemical structures and pharmacologic functions between Panax ginseng and Panax quiquefolium were carried out by many scientists. The conclusion is that each has its own characteristics. There is no superiority or inferiority to the other.
Animals ; Cognition ; drug effects ; Ginsenosides ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Learning ; drug effects ; Memory ; drug effects ; Mice ; Neovascularization, Physiologic ; Neurogenesis ; Neuronal Plasticity ; drug effects ; Panax ; chemistry ; Rats ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of recombinant human basic fibroblast growth factor (rhbFGF) on angiogenesis during mandible fracture healing in rabbit.

METHODSFifty adult white rabbits were used for animal model and randomly divided into a control group (25 rabbits) and an experimental group (25 rabbits). The membranous complex of rhbFGF and bovine type I collagen was prepared and implanted into the rabbit mandible fracture site under periosteum. The animals were sacrificed on 7, 14, 28, 56 and 84 days respectively after operation and the whole mandibles were harvested. The expression of factor VIII related antigen (F8-RA) in callus was examined with immunohistochemical staining.

RESULTSThe amounts of microvascular formation in calluses in the rhbFGF-treating group on days 7, 14, 28 and 56 were more than those of the control group (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe results indicated that rhbFGF could stimulate microvascular formation during mandible fracture healing in rabbits.

Animals ; Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 ; pharmacology ; Fracture Healing ; physiology ; Mandibular Fractures ; physiopathology ; Neovascularization, Physiologic ; drug effects ; Rabbits ; Recombinant Proteins ; pharmacology

The effects of different concentrations of vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF) on the fibrovascular ingrowth into rabbits hydroxyapatite orbital implant were investigated. Twelve New Zealand white rabbits were divided into 3 groups and received hydroxyapatite orbital implant surgery in their right eyes. Before and after the operation, the implants were treated with 10 ng/ml VEGF, 100 ng/ml VEGF, or normal saline as control group. The animals received technetium bones scan at 2, 4, and 6 weeks postoperatively. The mean radioactivity counts within region of interest (ROI) of the surgery eye (R) and the non-surgery eye (L) in the same animal were tested, and the R/L ratios were calculated. The implants were harvested at 6th weeks and examined histopathologically. The results showed that at second week, there was no significant difference in mean R/L ratios between VEGF group and control group (F=2.83, P=0.111); At 4th week (F=7.728, P=0.011) and 6th week (F=7.831, P=0.011) postoperatively, the mean ratios in VEGF groups were significantly higher than that in control group. At 6th week postoperatively, the fibrovascularization rates in VEGF groups were higher than in control group significantly (F=8.711, P=0.008). It was suggested that VEGF could promote the fibrovascular ingrowth into hydroxyapatite orbital implant, thus might shorten the time required for complete vascularization of the HA orbital implant.
Eye, Artificial ; *Hydroxyapatites ; Neovascularization, Physiologic/*drug effects ; Orbit/blood supply ; *Orbital Implants ; Random Allocation ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/*pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) treated collagen composite sponge on vascularization of HA orbital implants.

METHODSNew Zealand rabbits received three different orbital implants:naked implants, implants wrapped with collagen composite sponge and implants wrapped with bFGF treated collagen composite sponge.Implants were harvested 2, 4, 6, 8 and 12 weeks after surgery. The vascularization of implants was then assessed by light and electron microscopy.

RESULTSAt post-surgery weeks of 2, 4 and 6, bFGF treated collagen composite sponge induced the highest degree of vascularization of orbital implants. Collagen composite sponge alone resulted in higher extent of vascularization than naked implants. Complete vascularization of implants was observed at post-surgery 6 weeks by bFGF treated collagen composite sponge, which was not observed in the other two groups until post-surgery 8 weeks. There were significant differences in the average length of fibrovasculature and in the degree of vascularization among each group at post-surgery 2, 4 and 6 weeks (P<0.05), while no statistical difference was observed at post-surgery 8 and 12 weeks (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSbFGF treated collagen composite sponge facilitates fibrovascularization of orbital implants, and shortens the time required for complete vascularization. Collagen composite sponge alone promotes early-stage fibrovascularization, but fails to facilitate complete vascularization of orbital implants.

Animals ; Collagen ; pharmacology ; Female ; Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 ; pharmacology ; Male ; Neovascularization, Physiologic ; drug effects ; Orbital Implants ; Rabbits

The angiogenesis induced with neotype amphiphilic peptide containing Isoleucine-Lysine-Valine-Alanine-Valine (IKVAV) was explored in vivo. The peptide was self-assembled into hydrogel, confirmed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). One millilitre of 10 mg/ml peptide (experiment group, EG) and 16.67% gelatin (control group, CG) were injected subcutaneously beside rat backbone. The systemic response and local skin were observed one week after injection. The specimens were harvested two weeks later and immunohistochemically examined for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). TEM showed that hydrogel was composed of interconnected nanofibers. The inflammatory reaction and necrosis of local skins were not found one week after injection. Lots of capillary vessels with complete wall were found within self-assembled peptide hydrogel, with erythrocytes noted inside the vessels in EG; the capillary vessels or erythrocytes were not found in the gelatin in CG. The immunohistochemical detection revealed VEGF-positive cells in EG, which were not found in CG. The self-assembly hydrogel from IKVAV-containing peptide was able to induce the angiogenesis in vivo.
Animals ; Hydrogels ; pharmacology ; Laminin ; pharmacology ; Neovascularization, Physiologic ; drug effects ; Peptide Fragments ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Skin ; blood supply

OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of stem cell factor (SCF) on proliferation, transmigration, capillary tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and on the chemotaxis of CD133(+) cells.

METHODSIn the presence of blank control, SCF, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), anti-human SCF (anti-SCF) or human IgG, the difference in proliferation capacity of HUVEC was analyzed by MTT and CCK-8 methods, and wound scratch assay and three-dimensional in vitro Matrigel assay were used for transmigration and capillary tube formation of HUVEC, respectively. In addition, the chemotaxis of CD133(+) cells sorted from human umbilical cord blood by flow cytometry was investigated by Transwell migration assay.

RESULTSSCF didn't improve the proliferative capacity of HUVEC, but significantly enhanced the transmigration capacity, and increased capillary tube formation in a dose-dependent manner. The number of intact tubules [(30.0 ± 3.4)/10(5) HUVEC] formed by HUVECs in the presence of the optimal concentration of SCF (100 ng/ml) was remarkably higher than that in blank control group [(5.0 ± 2.6)/10(5) HUVEC, P < 0.01]. SCF also significantly induced a chemotactic response of CD133(+) cells, the transmembrane migration cell number into Transwell lower chamber was significantly higher in SCF group [(118.0 ± 6.5)/10(4) CD133(+) cells] than in blank control group [(47.0 ± 4.7)/10(4) CD133(+) cells, P < 0.01 ].

CONCLUSIONSSCF significantly promotes the transmigration and capillary tube formation of HUVEC, and induces a chemotactic response of CD133(+) cells. SCF/c-kit signaling possibly plays a critical role in regulating angiogenesis of vascular endothelial cells and vasculogenesis of endothelial progenitor cells.

Cell Movement ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; Humans ; Neovascularization, Physiologic ; drug effects ; Sincalide ; metabolism ; Stem Cell Factor ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo study the angiogenesis promoting effect of Morinda officinalis oligosaccharides(MOO) on chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM).

METHODRats blood serum containing low, medium and high doses of MOO was prepared using Chinese herbs serum pharmacology method. 60 chick embryoes were randomly divided into low, medium and high doses of MOO groups, as well as NS group, blank serum group and bFGF group. Each group included 10 embryoes. CAM model was prepared after 7 days incubation. Then NS, blank serum, bFGF (2500 U x mL(-1)), three doses of serum containing MOO were added respectively onto the carriers on the CAM. CAM sample was prepared after 3 days incubation. The state of angiogenesis was observed and the number of new blood vessels was counted.

RESULTCompared with blank serum and NS group, a more specific CAM angiogenesis appearance could be observed in each MOO group and bFGF group. Compared with blank serum group, the number of new blood vessels in each MOO group increased significantly (P < 0.05). But the drug had a lower efficacy than bFGF (P < 0.05). Compared with low dose group, the number of new blood vessels increased significantly in medium and high doses groups (P < 0.05). But there was no significant difference between the latter two groups. The number of new blood vessels showed no significant difference between NS group and blank serum group.

CONCLUSIONMOO can obviously promote angiogenesis of CAM.

Animals ; Chick Embryo ; blood supply ; drug effects ; Chickens ; Chorioallantoic Membrane ; blood supply ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Female ; Male ; Morinda ; chemistry ; Neovascularization, Physiologic ; drug effects ; Oligosaccharides ; pharmacology

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been found to be the most powerful angiogenic factor. Studies have shown that cerebral ischemia and hypoxia stimulate the expressions of VEGF and its receptors in the brain, while exogenous VEGF promotes the formation of new blood vessels in the ischemic brain penumbra, and reduce the volume of cerebral infarction. The effect of VEGF on cerebral ischemia was previously explained the mechanism that VEGF had a specific mitogenetic roles in cerebral endothelial cells and thus promoted neovascularization; however recent evidence has shown that VEGF also has direct effects on neural and glial cells. Its multiple protection roles on central nervous system involve vascularization, neurogenesis, direct neurotrophic and neuroprotective effect, as well as antiapoptosis effect, especially when brain ischemia occurs. Further elucidation of these mechanisms on central nervous system may serve as a key procedure in understanding the main aspects of neural repair and neural protection, and develop effective therapeutic measures for intervention in stroke.
Animals ; Brain Ischemia ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Neovascularization, Physiologic ; drug effects ; Nerve Regeneration ; drug effects ; Neuroprotective Agents ; pharmacology ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology