Galectin-3 Enhances Proliferation and Angiogenesis of Endothelial Cells Differentiated from Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Purpose. To observe the effects of galectin-3 on proliferation and angiogenesis of endothelial cells differentiated from bone marrow mesenchymal stem (MSCs). Methods. Cultured MSCs were isolated from bone marrow of Sprague Dawley rats and purified by gradient centrifugation with lymphocytes separation medium. Cells of passage 3 were differentiated into endothelial cels by vascular endothelial growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor. These cells were identified as endothelial cells by immunohistochemistry staining and electronic microscopy after 14 days. The cells were cultivated with the galectin-3 at the concentrations of 0.1, 1, and 5 mu g/mL for 24 hours. The proliferation of endothelial cells were measured by 3-(4,5-methylth-iazol-2-yl)-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and the cell cycle was investigated by using flow cytometry. The functionality of angiogensis was observed when the cells appeared tube formation in presence of glacetin-3. Results. The proliferation activity, analyzed by MTT method, in the galectin-3 groups (1 and 5 mu g/mL) were 0.3002 +/- 0.0159 and 0.3514 +/- 0.0133, respectively, which were significantly greater than that in the control group (0.2339 +/- 0.0041; P <.05). Flow cytometry detection showed that S phase cells (%) are 29.42 +/- 0.45, 34.56 +/- 0.82, and 52.58 +/- 2.84 in groups of 0.1, 1, and 5 mu g/mL, respectively, and G(2)M phase cells increased from 4.88 +/- 1.12 to 5.26 +/- 0.45 with the concentrations of 1 and 5 mu g/mL, respectively, which demonstrated significant difference compared with the control group (P <.05). The tubular network formation was lengthened significantly compared with the control group (P <.05). Conclusion. Galectin-3 can promote the proliferation and angiogenesis of endothelial cells differentiated from bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells.