Hyperglycemia Induces Bioenergetic Changes in Adipose-Derived Stromal Cells While Their Pericytic Function Is Retained

Stem Cells Dev. 2016 Oct 1;25(19):1444-53. doi: 10.1089/scd.2016.0025. Epub 2016 Sep 1.

Abstract

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a hyperglycemia (HG)-mediated microvascular complication. In DR, the loss of pericytes and subsequently endothelial cells leads to pathologic angiogenesis in retina. Adipose-derived stromal cells (ASC) are a promising source of therapeutic cells to replace lost pericytes in DR. To date, knowledge of the influence of HG on the bioenergetics and pericytic function of ASC is negligible. Human ASC were cultured in normoglycemia medium (5 mM d-glucose) or under HG (30 mM d-glucose) and assessed. Our data showed that HG increased the level of apoptosis and reactive oxygen species production in ASC, yet their proliferation rate was not affected. HG induced alterations in mitochondrial function and morphology in ASC. HG also strongly affected the bioenergetic status of ASC in which both the maximum oxygen consumption rate and extracellular acidification rate were decreased. This was corroborated by a reduced uptake of glucose under HG. In spite of these observations, in vitro, ASC promoted the formation of vascular-like networks of human umbilical vein endothelial cells on monolayers of ASC under HG with minimally affected.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acids / metabolism
  • Adipose Tissue / cytology*
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Energy Metabolism* / drug effects
  • Extracellular Space / metabolism
  • Glucose / toxicity
  • Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells / drug effects
  • Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Hyperglycemia / metabolism*
  • Hyperglycemia / pathology*
  • Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / drug effects
  • Neovascularization, Physiologic / drug effects
  • Oxygen Consumption / drug effects
  • Pericytes / drug effects
  • Pericytes / metabolism*
  • Phenotype
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism
  • Stromal Cells / drug effects
  • Stromal Cells / metabolism

Substances

  • Acids
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • Glucose