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Abstract
Delayed wound healing is characteristic of those affected by both Type 1 and Type
2 diabetes. We have developed a novel assay to investigate endothelial cell migration
using primary microvascular endothelial cells of dermal origin. Endothelial cell migration
was determined using defined monolayers of cells. Net migration or migration at a
wounded edge was recorded after 24 or 48 h following incubation in either 20% or 5%
oxygen in combination with either 5 mmol/l or 20 mmol/l glucose. Specific intracellular
inhibitors of p42/44 MAPK, Pi3 kinase and protein kinase CβII were used. Hypoxia inducible
factor type 1 alpha protein was detected using immunocytochemical staining. Cell migration
was increased in the presence of hypoxia and decreased with high glucose concentration
(p<0.001). The newly developed wound healing assay revealed that re-endothelialisation
occurred at a greater rate (p<0.001) than endothelialisation. Inhibition of p42/44MAPK
significantly reduced endothelial cell migration at both the intact and the wounded
edge in 20 mmol/l glucose but not 5 mmol/l glucose. Inhibition of Pi3 kinase significantly
(p<0.001) reduced migration in all test conditions, while inhibition of PKCβ restored
glucose mediated impaired migration (p>0.05). HIF-1α protein levels did not significantly
reduce in the presence of a PKCβ inhibitor at the wounded edge of cells in 20 mmol/l
glucose. In conclusion, we have established a novel assay to determine endothelial
cell migration that is robust and reproducible. Impaired cell migration mediated by
high glucose concentration was restored using an inhibitor of the PKCβII pathway which
correlated with an increase in the level of HIF1α protein.