Adaptable haemodynamic endothelial cells for organogenesis and tumorigenesis.

TitleAdaptable haemodynamic endothelial cells for organogenesis and tumorigenesis.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2020
AuthorsPalikuqi B, Nguyen D-HT, Li G, Schreiner R, Pellegata AF, Liu Y, Redmond D, Geng F, Lin Y, Gómez-Salinero JM, Yokoyama M, Zumbo P, Zhang T, Kunar B, Witherspoon M, Han T, Tedeschi AM, Scottoni F, Lipkin SM, Dow L, Elemento O, Xiang JZ, Shido K, Spence JR, Zhou QJ, Schwartz RE, De Coppi P, Rabbany SY, Rafii S
JournalNature
Volume585
Issue7825
Pagination426-432
Date Published2020 09
ISSN1476-4687
KeywordsBlood Vessels, Carcinogenesis, Cell Culture Techniques, Chromatin, Endothelial Cells, Epigenesis, Genetic, Epigenomics, Hemodynamics, Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells, Humans, In Vitro Techniques, Islets of Langerhans, Models, Biological, Neoplasms, Organ Specificity, Organogenesis, Organoids, RNA-Seq, Single-Cell Analysis, Transcription Factors, Transcriptome
Abstract

Endothelial cells adopt tissue-specific characteristics to instruct organ development and regeneration. This adaptability is lost in cultured adult endothelial cells, which do not vascularize tissues in an organotypic manner. Here, we show that transient reactivation of the embryonic-restricted ETS variant transcription factor 2 (ETV2) in mature human endothelial cells cultured in a serum-free three-dimensional matrix composed of a mixture of laminin, entactin and type-IV collagen (LEC matrix) 'resets' these endothelial cells to adaptable, vasculogenic cells, which form perfusable and plastic vascular plexi. Through chromatin remodelling, ETV2 induces tubulogenic pathways, including the activation of RAP1, which promotes the formation of durable lumens. In three-dimensional matrices-which do not have the constraints of bioprinted scaffolds-the 'reset' vascular endothelial cells (R-VECs) self-assemble into stable, multilayered and branching vascular networks within scalable microfluidic chambers, which are capable of transporting human blood. In vivo, R-VECs implanted subcutaneously in mice self-organize into durable pericyte-coated vessels that functionally anastomose to the host circulation and exhibit long-lasting patterning, with no evidence of malformations or angiomas. R-VECs directly interact with cells within three-dimensional co-cultured organoids, removing the need for the restrictive synthetic semipermeable membranes that are required for organ-on-chip systems, therefore providing a physiological platform for vascularization, which we call 'Organ-On-VascularNet'. R-VECs enable perfusion of glucose-responsive insulin-secreting human pancreatic islets, vascularize decellularized rat intestines and arborize healthy or cancerous human colon organoids. Using single-cell RNA sequencing and epigenetic profiling, we demonstrate that R-VECs establish an adaptive vascular niche that differentially adjusts and conforms to organoids and tumoroids in a tissue-specific manner. Our Organ-On-VascularNet model will permit metabolic, immunological and physiochemical studies and screens to decipher the crosstalk between organotypic endothelial cells and parenchymal cells for identification of determinants of endothelial cell heterogeneity, and could lead to advances in therapeutic organ repair and tumour targeting.

DOI10.1038/s41586-020-2712-z
Alternate JournalNature
PubMed ID32908310
PubMed Central IDPMC7480005
Grant ListR01 HL115128 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
R01 DK095039 / DK / NIDDK NIH HHS / United States
R01 DK121072 / DK / NIDDK NIH HHS / United States
R01 AA027327 / AA / NIAAA NIH HHS / United States
R35 HL150809 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
R01 HL128158 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
R03 DK117252 / DK / NIDDK NIH HHS / United States
R01 CA194547 / CA / NCI NIH HHS / United States
UC4 DK116280 / DK / NIDDK NIH HHS / United States
R01 HL119215 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
1R21AI117213 / NH / NIH HHS / United States
R01 HL119872 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
R01 HL139056 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
K08 DK101754 / DK / NIDDK NIH HHS / United States
R01 CA234614 / CA / NCI NIH HHS / United States
R01 DK106253 / DK / NIDDK NIH HHS / United States
UL1 TR002384 / TR / NCATS NIH HHS / United States
RC2 DK114777 / DK / NIDDK NIH HHS / United States
R01 AI107301 / AI / NIAID NIH HHS / United States
U01 AI138329 / AI / NIAID NIH HHS / United States