VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL-CELLS - TARGETS FOR STUDYING THE ACTIVITY OF HAIR FOLLICLE CELL-PRODUCED VEGF

Fetal bovine aortic endothelial cells (FBAEC) were exposed to purified fractions of conditioned medium from cultures of hair dermal papilla cells (DPC) to determine the existence of any vascular endothelial gro wth factor (VEGF)-like paracrine activity of the latter. Such fraction s were tested for stimulation of growth and migration of cultured FBAE C. In addition, VEGF secretion by DPC was measured by radioassay of VE GF receptors using FBAEC as target cells. The results showed that stim ulation of FBAEC proliferation and migration following exposure to pur ified conditioned medium was dose-dependent. Radioreceptor assays of r ecombinant VEGF and purified DPC-conditioned medium showed competitive VEGF binding in FBAEC.