Journal of Tissue Science and Engineering

The Potential Therapeutic Cells in Vascular Dementia: IL-1beta Enhanced Endothelial Progenitor-like Cells

Abstract

Yi-Chien Lin, Pei-Yi Tsai, Chun-Ming Cheng, Yong-Jang Chen and Jia-Ming Chang

Vascular Dementia (VaD) is a neurodegenerative disease caused by vascular lesions that leads to reduced Cerebral Blood Flow (CBF). We investigated the potential of Endothelial Progenitor-like Cells (EPC-like cells) in mitigating dementia symptoms by improving the endothelial remodelling in the ischemic VaD mice. EPC-like cells could be differentiated from CD117 positive bone marrow cells with cytokines, e.g. VEGF, b-FGF, EGF, IL-1β and IGF-1, and then characterized by surface markers (CD117+, CD31+, Tie2+ and VE-Cadherin+) and biological function of tube formation and LDL uptake. The feasibility in treating VaD was assessed by using the carotid artery ligation VaD mouse model. Among EPC-like cells, about 93% of cell population expressed CD117 molecules and 27% of cell population expressed CD31 molecules, which demonstrated the ability for the tube formation and phagocytosis. Half number of dementia mice in disease group was established with increased latency, which could be restored to normal latency with EPC-like cells treatment in another dementia mice group. In conclusion, the EPClike cells improved memory function of VaD mice, which demonstrated the potential of EPC-like cells in treating VaD.