AIM: To investigate the role of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells(BMSCs)under hypoxia on vascular endothelial cell migration and lumen formation.

METHODS: Three kinds of conditioned media(CM)were prepared which including control group(vascular endothelial cells conditioned medium, VCM), normoxic BMSCs-CM group(NCM), and hypoxic BMSCs-CM group(HCM). Then the migration and lumen formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVECs)and monkey choroid-retinal vascular endothelial cells(RF/6A)were detected after cultured with the above three kinds of CM respectively for 6-24h.

RESULTS: The numbers of cells migration and the tubes formation(including the total length of the tubes and the numbers of branches)in the hypoxic group(HCM)were increased significantly compared with the control group and the normoxic group(P<0.05). The numbers of migrated RF/6A cells were 19.00±3.61, 32.33±3.06, and 114.00±11.53, respectively in control group(VCM), normoxic group(NCM)and hypoxic group(HCM)after treated for 24h(F=153.3, P<0.001). And the numbers of migrated HUVECs were 76.00±9.54, 122.00±18.68, and 307.70±25.97, respectively in three groups(F=121.5, P<0.001). After incubation of RF/6A cells with three different CM for 6h, the numbers of tubes formation were 12.00±3.00, 37.00±4.58, and 51.00±3.61, respectively(F=81.7, P<0.0001). The results of lumen formation of HUVECs in three groups were similar with that of RF/6A.

CONCLUSION: BMSCs can promote the migration and lumen formation of vascular endothelial cells under hypoxia. This mechanism may play a role in retinal neovascularization.