Open AccessA Quantitative Assay for Angiogenesis of Cultured Choroidal Tissues in Streptozotocin-Diabetic Wistar and Spontaneously Diabetic GK Rats
Author(s) -
Shogo Kobayashi,
Mizuki Fukuta,
Hitoshi Kontani,
Sumino Yanagita,
Ikuko Kimura
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
japanese journal of pharmacology/japanese journal of pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1347-3506
pISSN - 0021-5198
DOI - 10.1254/jjp.78.471
Subject(s) - streptozotocin , diabetic retinopathy , angiogenesis , endocrinology , medicine , explant culture , fetus , choroid , diabetes mellitus , bolus (digestion) , biology , retina , in vitro , pregnancy , genetics , neuroscience , biochemistry
Angiogenesis of cultured choroids was quantitatively assayed in spontaneously diabetic GK and a bolus-treated streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetic Wistar rats. The number and total length of microvessels budded from cultured choroidal explants were measured to use as angiogenic indices. Both indices in 10-week-old Wistar rats were increased in parallel by 5% fetal bovine serum (FBS) from days 2 to 7 in culture. These indices in STZ-rats (10 weeks of age) were increased by 5% FBS to a greater extent than those in age-matched normal rats. These enhanced actions of FBS were concentration-dependent. The explants of 16-week-old GK rats also increased these indices to a greater extent than those of age-matched Wistar rats. Aging to 18 weeks of age also increased choroidal angiogenesis in the normal rats. In conclusion, the assay model of choroidal angiogenesis was established by determining the number and length of microvessels in cultured choroidal explants. The diabetic states of STZ-Wistar and GK rats enhanced FBS-induced choroidal angiogenesis. This assay model is useful for determining angiogenic activity of growth factors and effective drugs in diabetic choroidopathy and retinopathy.