SDF-1 activity on microvascular endothelial cells: Consequences on angiogenesis in in vitro and in vivo models

The chemokine stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) has been shown to be in volved in cell migration. As the receptor CXCR-4 is expressed on endothelia l cells and upregulated by angiogenic factors, we were prompted to study th e effect of SDF-1 on angiogenesis in endothelial cells from microvasculatur e. This study demonstrates that SDF-1 induces an angiogenic effect in vitro , primarily in a tridimensional fibrin gel. The increase in capillary tube formation was evident after a 10-day incubation with SDF-1. This was associ ated with a mild increase in VEGF production by microvascular endothelial c ells (ELISA and rt-PCR) and a potent chemotactic effect. SDF-1 also induced an in vivo angiogenic activity as shown in the model of the rabbit corneal pocket. However, the angiogenesis was located in an area rich in inflammat ory cells. The results of our study suggest that these data underline the p otential role of SDF-1 in angiogenesis as the microvascular endothelial cel ls were greatly involved in this process. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. Al l rights reserved.