N(epsilon)-(carboxymethyl)lysine proliferated CD34(+) cells from rat choroidal explant in culture

Action of N(epsilon)-(carboxymethyl)lysine-human serum albumin (CML-HSA) on neovascularization was investigated in cultured rat choroidal explant. Choroidal explants of normal male Wistar rats were cultured in fibrin gel with Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium containing fetal bovine serum in the presence or absence of CML-HSA. Migrated cells were budded from 2nd day in culture and developed from cultured choroidal explants in a time-dependent manner. Budded and developed cells from the choroidal explant had a feature of fibroblasts, which had attenuated long cytoplasmic processes, long ellipsoid nuclei and numerous membrane-bound polymorphic vesicles. Immunostaining of the attenuated cells in fibrin bed with CD34 (a marker protein of vascular endothelial cells and endothelial progenitor cells) failed to disclose positive result. However the cells which were isolated from fibrin bed by collagenase were specifically stained with anti-CD34 antibody. The isolated cells did not form tube-like structures on collagen gel by 3 weeks in culture. CML-HSA significantly increased the number of total isolated cells and CD34(+) cells as well as the number of vessel-like structures. These results indicate that CML-HSA overproduced immature blood vessels from cultured choroidal explants in fibrin gel, which consisted of CD34(+) cells. The CML-HSA-induced formation of immature blood vessel may be implicated in various choroidal diseases such as age-related macular degeneration.