Harvest and Primary Culture of Leptomeningeal Lymphatic Endothelial Cells

Summary

Leptomeningeal lymphatic endothelial cells (LLECs), a recently identified intracranial cell type, have poorly understood functions. This study presents a reproducible protocol for harvesting LLECs from mice and establishing in vitro primary cultures. This protocol is designed to enable researchers to delve into the cellular functions and potential clinical implications of LLECs.

Abstract

Leptomeningeal lymphatic endothelial cells (LLECs) are a recently discovered intracranial cellular population with a unique distribution clearly distinct from peripheral lymphatic endothelial cells. Their cellular function and clinical implications remain largely unknown. Consequently, the availability of a supply of LLECs is essential for conducting functional research in vitro. However, there is currently no existing protocol for harvesting and culturing LLECs in vitro.

This study successfully harvested LLECs using a multi-step protocol, which included coating the flask with fibronectin, dissecting the leptomeninges with the assistance of a microscope, enzymatically digesting the leptomeninges to prepare a single-cell suspension, inducing the expansion of LLECs with vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C), and selecting lymphatic vessel hyaluronic receptor-1 (LYVE-1) positive cells through magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS). This process ultimately led to the establishment of a primary culture. The purity of the LLECs was confirmed through immunofluorescence staining and flow cytometric analysis, with a purity level exceeding 95%. This multi-step protocol has demonstrated reproducibility and feasibility, which will greatly facilitate the exploration of the cellular function and clinical implications of LLECs.

Introduction

The newly discovered leptomeningeal lymphatic endothelial cells (LLECs) form a meshwork of individual cells within the leptomeninges, exhibiting a distinct distribution pattern when compared to peripheral lymphatic endothelial cells^1,2. The cellular functions and clinical implications associated with LLECs remain largely uncharted territory. In order to pave the way for functional research on LLECs, it is imperative to establish an in vitro model for their study. Therefore, this study has devised a comprehensive protocol for the isolation and primary culture of LLECs.

Protocol

This research received approval from the Animal Experiment Ethics Committee of Kunming Medical University (kmmu20220945). All experiments adhered to established animal care guidelines. Leptomeningeal lymphatic endothelial cells (LLECs) were harvested from male C57Bl/6J mice aged 6-8 weeks and weighing between 20-25 g. These mice were procured from Kunming Medical University in Kunming, China. The entire experimental procedure was conducted under strict sterile conditions. All the centrifugation steps are performed at roo.......

Discussion

The existing protocol for harvesting and culturing LLECs in vitro has not been previously reported. This study introduces a reproducible, multi-procedural protocol for harvesting and culturing LLECs from mouse leptomeninges.

While this multi-procedural protocol is reproducible, there are several key considerations. For example, fibronectin-coated T25 flasks promote the adhesion of LLECs and function by eliminating non-adherent cells, thereby ensuring a more homogenous cellular populat.......

Materials

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Block buffer	Beyotime	P0102	Store aliquots at –4 °C
Collagenase I	Solarbio	C8140	Store aliquots at –20 °C
DAPI	Beyotime	P0131	Store aliquots at –20 °C
DMEM	Solarbio	11995	Store aliquots at –4 °C
D-PBS	Solarbio	D1041	Store aliquots at –4 °C
EGM-2 MV Bullet Kit	Lonza	C-3202	Store aliquots at –4 °C
FBS	Solarbio	S9010	Store aliquots at –20 °C
Fibronectin	Solarbio	F8180	Store aliquots at –20 °C
FlowJo Software	BD Biosciences	V10.8.1
LYVE-1 antibody	eBioscience	12-0443-82	Store aliquots at –4 °C
Magnetic separator	Miltenyi	130-042-302	Sterile before use
Magnetic separator stand	Miltenyi	130-042-303	Sterile before use
Microbeads	Miltenyi	130-048-801	Store aliquots at –4 °C
P/S	Solarbio	P1400	Store aliquots at –20 °C
Papain	Solarbio	G8430-25g	Store aliquots at –20 °C
PBS	Solarbio	D1040	Store aliquots at –4 °C
PDPN antibody	Santa	sc-53533	Store aliquots at –4 °C
PFA	Solarbio	P1110	Store aliquots at –4 °C
PROX1 antibody	Santa	sc-81983	Store aliquots at –4 °C
Selection column	Miltenyi	130-042-401	Sterile before use
Trypsin	Gibco	25200072	Store aliquots at –20 °C
VEGF-C	Abcam	ab51947	Store aliquots at –20 °C
VEGFR-3 antibody	Santa	sc-514825	Store aliquots at –4 °C