PECAM/eGFP transgenic mice for monitoring of angiogenesis in health and disease.

ABSTRACT

For the monitoring of vascular growth as well as adaptive or therapeutic (re)vascularization endothelial-specific reporter mouse models are valuable tools. However, currently available mouse models have limitations, because not all endothelial cells express the reporter in all developmental stages. We have generated PECAM/eGFP embryonic stem (ES) cell and mouse lines where the reporter gene labels PECAM+ endothelial cells and vessels with high specificity. Native eGFP expression and PECAM staining were highly co-localized in vessels of various organs at embryonic stages E9.5, E15.5 and in adult mice. Expression was found in large and small arteries, capillaries and in veins but not in lymphatic vessels. Also in the bone marrow arteries and sinusoidal vessel were labeled, moreover, we could detect eGFP in some CD45+ hematopoietic cells. We also demonstrate that this labeling is very useful to monitor sprouting in an aortic ring assay as well as vascular remodeling in a murine injury model of myocardial infarction. Thus, PECAM/eGFP transgenic ES cells and mice greatly facilitate the monitoring and quantification of endothelial cells ex vivo and in vivo during development and injury.