Angiogenic effects of advanced glycation end products of the Maillard reaction on cultured human umbilical cord vein endothelial cells.

The effects of advanced glycation end products (AGE) of the Maillard reaction on proliferation, migration and angiogenesis of cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were studied. In an in vitro angiogenesis system, tube formation of HUVEC was dose-dependently stimulated by AGE at 0.5-50 micrograms/ml. Migration of HUVEC was also stimulated by AGE in a similar concentration range, and checkerboard analysis revealed that AGE were chemotactic but not chemokinetic. Proliferation of HUVEC was not affected by AGE. These data provide evidence that AGE are angiogenic.