Stromal Vascular Fraction From Adipose Tissue Forms Profound Vascular Network Through the Dynamic Reassembly of Blood Endothelial Cells

Abstract

Objective-Tremendous efforts have been made to establish effective therapeutic neovascularization using adipose tissue-derived stromal vascular fraction (SVF), but the efficiency is low, and underlying mechanisms and their interaction with the host in a new microenvironment are poorly understood. Methods and Results-Here we demonstrate that direct implantation of SVF derived from donor adipose tissue can create a profound vascular network through the disassembly and reassembly of blood endothelial cells at the site of implantation. This neovasculature successfully established connection with recipient blood vessels to form a functionally perfused circuit. Addition of vascular growth factors to the SVF implant improved the efficiency of functional neovasculature formation. In contrast, spheroid culture of SVF before implantation reduced the capacity of vasculature formation, possibly because of cellular alteration. Implanting SVF into the mouse ischemic hindlimb induced the robust formation of a local neovascular network and salvaged the limb. Moreover, the coimplantation of SVF prevented fat absorption in the subcutaneous adipose tissue graft model. Conclusion-Freshly isolated SVF can effectively induce new vessel formation through the dynamic reassembly of blood endothelial cells and could be applied to achieve therapeutic neovascularization for relieving ischemia and preventing fat absorption in an autologous manner. (Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2011;31:1141-1150.)