Immortalized Porcine Aortic Endothelial Cells (AOC)

Recently proposed as a potential model of atherosclerosis, allograft rejection and accommodation, xenotransplantation and viral haemorrhage diseases, the porcine endothelial cells provide a useful tool in studies including the molecular mechanisms of xenogeneic rejection in the swine-to-human combination, and the pathogenesis of African Swine Fever (ASF) and Classical Swine Fever (CSF). The Immortalized Porcine Aortic Endothelial Cells (AOC) is derived from stable transformation of SV40 genome into primary porcine aortic endothelial cells. The resulting AOC retains comparable surface markers to its primary cell counterparts, as well as preserving its ability to uptake acetylated low density lipoproteins (Ac-LDL) and its susceptibility to xenogeneic cell-mediated cytotoxicity (i.e. Human Natural Killer Cell-mediated lysis). 1,1’-dioctadecyl-3,3,3’,3’-tetramethylindocarbocyanine (DiI)-labelled Ac-LDL was used to evaluate Ac-LDL uptake.