Abstract
Vessel anastomosis is important in tumor angiogenesis as well as for vascularization therapy for ischemia and other diseases. We report here the development of a color-coded imaging model that can visualize the anastomosis between blood vessels of red fluorescent protein (RFP)-expressing vessels in vascularized Gelfoam® previously transplanted into RFP transgenic mice and then re-transplanted into nestin-driven green fluorescent protein (ND-GFP) mice where nascent blood vessels express GFP. Gelfoam® was initially transplanted subcutaneously in the flank of transgenic RFP nude mice. Skin flaps were made at 14 days after transplantation of Gelfoam® to allow observation of vascularization of the Gelfoam® using confocal fluorescence imaging. The implanted Gelfoam® became highly vascularized with RFP vessels. Fourteen days after transplantation into RFP transgenic nude mice, the Gelfoam® was removed and re-transplanted into the subcutis on the flank of ND-GFP transgenic nude mice in which nascent blood vessels express GFP. Skin flaps were made and anastomosis between the GFP-expressing nascent blood vessels of ND-GFP transgenic nude mice and RFP blood vessels in the Gelfoam® was imaged 14 and 21 days after retransplantation. The results presented in this report indicate a possible mechanism for tumor angiogenesis and suggest a new paradigm of therapeutic revascularization of ischemic organs requiring new blood vessels and in other diseases.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 3041-3046 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Anticancer research |
Volume | 33 |
Issue number | 8 |
Publication status | Published - Aug 2013 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Anastomosis
- Angiogenesis
- Blood vessels
- Color-coded imaging
- Confocal microscopy
- Gelfoam®
- Green fluorescent protein
- Nestin
- Red fluorescent protein
- Transgenic nude mice
- Vascularization
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Oncology
- Cancer Research