Logo image
Generating iPSC-Derived Choroidal Endothelial Cells to Study Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Generating iPSC-Derived Choroidal Endothelial Cells to Study Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Allison E Songstad, Luke A Wiley, Khahn Duong, Emily Kaalberg, Miles J Flamme-Wiese, Cathryn M Cranston, Megan J Riker, Dana Levasseur, Edwin M Stone, Robert F Mullins, …
Investigative ophthalmology & visual science, Vol.56(13), pp.8258-8267
12/2015
DOI: 10.1167/iovs.15-17073
PMCID: PMC5110238
PMID: 26720480
url
https://doi.org/10.1167/iovs.15-17073View
Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the most common cause of incurable blindness in the western world, is characterized by the dysfunction and eventual death of choroidal endothelial (CECs), RPE, and photoreceptor cells. Stem cell-based treatment strategies designed to replace photoreceptor and RPE cells currently are a major scientific focus. However, the success of these approaches likely also will require replacement of the underlying, supportive choroidal vasculature. The purpose of this study was to generate stem cell-derived CECs to develop efficient differentiation and transplantation protocols. Dermal fibroblasts from the Tie2-GFP mouse were isolated and reprogrammed into two independent induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines via viral transduction of the transcription factors Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc. Tie2-GFP iPSCs were differentiated into CECs using a coculture method with either the RF6A CEC line or primary mouse CECs. Induced pluripotent stem cell-derived CECs were characterized via RT-PCR and immunocytochemistry for EC- and CEC-specific markers. Induced pluripotent stem cells generated from mice expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) under control of the endothelial Tie2 promoter display classic pluripotency markers and stem cell morphology. Induced pluripotent stem cell-derived CECs express carbonic anhydrase IV, eNOS, FOXA2, PLVAP, CD31, CD34, ICAM-1, Tie2, TTR, VE-cadherin, and vWF. Induced pluripotent stem cell-derived CECs will be a valuable tool for modeling of choriocapillaris-specific insults in AMD and for use in future choroidal endothelial cell replacement approaches.
Immunohistochemistry Cell Differentiation Animals, Newborn Endothelial Cells - metabolism Mice, Inbred C57BL Cells, Cultured Male Mice, Transgenic Macular Degeneration - metabolism Animals Mice Endothelial Cells - pathology Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells - cytology Choroid - pathology Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells - metabolism Macular Degeneration - pathology

Details

Metrics

Logo image