Branching Out: A Molecular Fingerprint of Endothelial Differentiation into Tube-Like Structures Generated by Affymetrix Oligonucleotide Arrays

• Published in: Microcirculation (New York, N.Y. 1994) Vol. 10; no. 1; pp. 63 - 81
• Main Authors: GERRITSEN, MARY E., SORIANO, ROBERT, YANG, SUYA, ZLOT, CONSTANCE, INGLE, GLADYS, TOY, KAREN, WILLIAMS, P. MICKEY
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.01.2003
• Subjects: adhesion molecule; angiogenesis; Animals; apoptosis; Apoptosis - genetics; Cell Adhesion Molecules - biosynthesis; Cell Adhesion Molecules - genetics; Cell Differentiation - genetics; Cells, Cultured - metabolism; Collagen; Cytoskeletal Proteins - biosynthesis; Cytoskeletal Proteins - genetics; Endothelial Cells - cytology; Endothelial Cells - drug effects; Endothelial Cells - metabolism; Endothelium, Vascular - cytology; Endothelium, Vascular - metabolism; Fibrin; Gels; Gene Expression Profiling; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; growth factor; Growth Substances - pharmacology; Humans; Membrane Lipids - biosynthesis; metalloprotease; Neovascularization, Physiologic - genetics; Neovascularization, Physiologic - physiology; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate - pharmacology
• ISSN: 1073-9688; 1549-8719
• DOI: 10.1038/sj.mn.7800170

ABSTRACT The process of endothelial differentiation into a network of tube‐like structures with patent lumens requires an integrated program of gene expression. To identify genes upregulated in endothelial cells during the process of tube formation, RNA was prepared from several different time points (0, 4, 8, 24, 40, and 48 hours) and from three different experimental models of human endothelial tube formation: in collagen gels and fibrin gels driven by the combination of PMA (80), bFGF (40 ng/ml) and bFGF (40 ng/ml) or in collagen gels driven by the combination of HGF (40 ng/ml) and VEGF (40 ng/ml). Gene expression was evaluated using Affymetrix® Gene Chip® oligonucleotide arrays. Over 1000 common genes were upregulated greater than twofold over baseline at one or more time points in the three different models. In the present study, we discuss the identified genes that could be assigned to major functional classes: apoptosis, cytoskeleton, proteases, matrix, and matrix turnover, pumps and transporters, membrane lipid turnover, and junctional molecules or adhesion proteins.