Kaposi's Sarcoma Cell Culture Model

The experimental model of Kaposi’s sarcoma is represented by the SV-40-immortalized murine endothelial cells (SVEC cells) stably expressing the vGPCR full length receptor (vGPCR cells), as previously described [28 (link)]. This virally encoded receptor was found to promote tumor formation in immune-suppressed mice and to induce angiogenic lesions similar to those that occur in the development of Kaposi’s sarcoma [28 (link),29 (link)]. vGPCR stably transfected cells were cultured in DMEM supplemented with 5% fetal bovine serum (FBS), 4.5 g L⁻¹ glucose, and selected with 500 μg mL⁻¹ G418. SVEC cells were cultured in DMEM with 10% FBS and 4.5 g L⁻¹ glucose. Primary cultures of endothelial cells (EC) were obtained from mice aorta and gently donated by Dr. Pablo Cutini (Lab. Investigaciones Endócrinas Básicas y Clínicas, INBIOSUR, CONICET-UNS) and cultured in DMEM with 10% FBS and 1 g L⁻¹ glucose. In all cases, the cells were allowed to grow in a metabolic incubator at 37 °C and 5% CO₂ and the culture medium was replaced every two days.