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(Circulation Research. 2006;99:861.)
© 2006 American Heart Association, Inc.

Cellular Biology

Human Pulmonary Valve Progenitor Cells Exhibit Endothelial/Mesenchymal Plasticity in Response to Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-A and Transforming Growth Factor-ß₂

Sailaja Paruchuri, Jeong-Hee Yang, Elena Aikawa, Juan M. Melero-Martin, Zia A. Khan, Stavros Loukogeorgakis, Frederick J. Schoen, Joyce Bischoff

From the Department of Surgery (S.P., J.-H.Y., J.M.M.-M., Z.A.K., S.L., J.B.), Vascular Biology Program, Children’s Hospital Boston and Harvard Medical School; and Department of Pathology (E.A., F.J.S.), Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass. Current address for S.P.: Division of Rheumatology, Immunology, and Allergy, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Mass. Current address for E.A.: Center for Molecular Imaging Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown. Current address for S.L.: Institute for Child Health and Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, University College London, UK.

Correspondence to Joyce Bischoff, PhD, Children’s Hospital Boston, 300 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA 02115. E-mail joyce.bischoff{at}childrens.harvard.edu

In situ analysis of fetal semilunar valve leaflets has revealed cells coexpressing endothelial and mesenchymal markers along the endothelium, with diminished frequency seen in adult valves. To determine whether such cells are progenitor cells, we isolated clonal populations from human pulmonary valves. The clones expressed endothelial markers but showed potential to further differentiate into endothelium in response to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A. When exposed to transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß₂, individual clones adopted a mesenchymal phenotype to varying degrees and expressed markers of endothelial to mesenchymal transformation (EMT). Both VEGF- and TGFß₂–induced phenotypic changes were partially reversible, indicating the plasticity of these cells. When challenged with VEGF or TGFß₂, a hierarchy of endothelial/mesenchymal potential could be seen among the clonal populations: cells initially closer to an endothelial phenotype showed a strong response to TGFß₂ that could be inhibited by VEGF, whereas cells closer to a mesenchymal phenotype responded to TGFß₂ but were resistant to endothelial-inducing effects of VEGF. These findings suggest the presence of bipotential valve progenitor cells with ability to differentiate into either endothelial or interstitial cells of the valve leaflet. Understanding the differentiation potential and function of these cells may be important for understanding heart valve disease and may also be applied to current paradigms for creating tissue-engineered heart valves.

Key Words: cell culture • endothelial cell differentiation • endothelial cells • heart valves • progenitor cells • transdifferentiation • vascular endothelial growth factor • vascular endothelium

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