Photobiomodulation:a novel approach to promote trans-differentiation of adipose-derived stem cells into neuronal-like cells

Photobiomodulation,originally used red and near-infrared lasers,can alter cellular metabolism.It has been demonstrated that the visible spectrum at 451-540 nm does not necessarily increase cell proliferation,near-infrared light promotes adipose stem cell proliferation and affects adipose stem cell migration,which is necessary for the cells homing to the site of injury.In this in vitro study,we explored the potential of adipose-derived stem cells to differentiate into neurons for future translational regenerative treatments in neurodegenerative disorders and brain injuries.We investigated the effects of various biological and chemical inducers on trans-differentiation and evaluated the impact of photobiomodulation using 825 nm near-infrared and 525 nm green laser light at 5 J/cm2.As adipose-derived stem cells can be used in autologous grafting and photobiomodulation has been shown to have biostimulatory effects.Our findings reveal that adipose-derived stem cells can indeed trans-differentiate into neuronal cells when exposed to inducers,with pre-induced cells exhibiting higher rates of proliferation and trans-differentiation compared with the control group.Interestingly,green laser light stimulation led to notable morphological changes indicative of enhanced trans-differentiation,while near-infrared photobiomodulation notably increased the expression of neuronal markers.Through biochemical analysis and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays,we observed marked improvements in viability,proliferation,membrane permeability,and mitochondrial membrane potential,as well as increased protein levels of neuron-specific enolase and ciliary neurotrophic factor.Overall,our results demonstrate the efficacy of photobiomodulation in enhancing the trans-differentiation ability of adipose-derived stem cells,offering promising prospects for their use in regenerative medicine for neurodegenerative disorders and brain injuries.

Asymptotic Analysis of a Stochastic Model of Mosquito-Borne Disease with the Use of Insecticides and Bet Nets

Ross’ epidemic model describing the transmission of malaria uses two classes of infection, one for humans and one for mosquitoes. This paper presents a stochastic extension of a deterministic vector-borne epidemic model based only on the class of human infectious. The consistency of the model is established by proving that the stochastic delay differential equation describing the model has a unique positive global solution. The extinction of the disease is studied through the analysis of the stability of the disease-free equilibrium state and the persistence of the model. Finally, we introduce some numerical simulations to illustrate the obtained results.

ACUPUNCTURE TREATMENT ON 40 CASES OF IRRITABLE COLON SYNDROME ACCORDING TO DIFFERENTIATION OF SYMPTOMS AND SIGNS

Irritable intestinal tract syndrome was classified and treated with acupuncture according to differentiation of symptoms and signs.Of the 40 cases treated,28 were cured,11 improved,and 6 ineffective.The total effective rate was 85％.The syndrome was classified into fourtypes:weakness of the spleen and stomach,disharmony of the liver spleen,Yang deficiency ofthe spleen and kidney,and retention of dampness and heat.There was no statistically significant difference in therapeutic effects among the four types of syndromes.However,the curative effect in theacupuncture group was better than that in the medication group,and the difference was of statisticalsignificance.

Toll样受体2与肾脏疾病关系的研究进展

Toll样受体2(TLR2)属于固有免疫模式识别受体,其广泛分布于体内多种免疫细胞表面,使免疫细胞活化、释放细胞因子,引起免疫炎症反应。近年来,发现TLR2在肾脏固有细胞中也有表达,TLR2异常激活与急性肾损伤、慢性肾脏病、尿路感染等密切相关。TLR2配体及其下游信号因子繁多,TLR2被激活后通过复杂的转导机制在肾脏病理生理过程中起“双刃剑”的作用。未来,可对TLR2在肾脏疾病中的作用及其可能涉及的机制进行深入探索,以期为肾脏疾病的防治提供新的方法和理论依据。

Dental evaluation is helpful in the differentiation of functional heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux disease

BACKGROUND Heartburn is identically the key symptom of both,gastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD)and functional heartburn(FHB),making the differential diagnosis resource-intensive.Oral manifestations of GERD can be easily examined;therefore,their exploration might be a cheap,widely available,and useful tool in the differentiation of GERD and FHB.AIM To evaluate the prevalence of dental erosions(DE)and periodontal diseases(PD)in patients with heartburn and their association with GERD and FHB.METHODS A total of 116[M/F:51/65,mean age:54(17-80)years]consecutive patients with heartburn were enrolled for detailed esophageal function and orodental examinations.RESULTS Dental disorders were detected in 89%(103/116).Patients with PD+DE had significantly more often pathologic reflux(90.0%vs 27.8%;P<0.05),higher esophagitis scores(1.8 vs 0.9;P<0.05),and a significantly different mean impedance curve(P=0.04)than those without any dental diseases.The opposite approach established that patients with GERD had significantly higher prevalence of DE and PD,especially if both were present(28.9%vs 2.0%;P<0.01),more severe PD(1.5 vs 1.0;P<0.01),and longer history of heartburn(15 years vs 9 years;P<0.01)than those with FHB.CONCLUSION The dental evaluation of patients with heartburn seems to be useful in the differential diagnosis of GERD and FHB.Among the studied parameters,the co-appearance of DE and PD seems to be the best predictor of GERD,whereas the absence of dental disorders was mostly observed in FHB.

Differentiation of rhesus adipose stem cells into dopaminergic neurons

LIM homeobox transcription factor la （Lmxla） has the capacity to initiate the development program of neuronal cells and promote the differentiation of embryonic stem cells into dopaminergic neurons. In this study, rhesus adipose stem cells were infected with recombinant adenovirus carrying the Lmxla gene and co-cultured with embryonic rat neural stem cells. Cell differentiation was induced using sonic hedgehog and fibroblast growth factor-8. Immunofluorescence staining showed that cells were positive for neuron-specific enolase and ^-tubulin II1. Reverse transcription-PCR results demonstrated that rhesus adipose stem cells were not only positive for neuron-specific enolase and I^-tubulin III, but also positive for the dopaminergic neuron marker, tyrosine hydroxylase, neurofilament, glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor family receptor a2 and nuclear receptor related factor 1. The number of Lmxla gene-infected cells expressing the dopaminergic neuron marker was substantially greater than the number of cells not infected with Lmxla gene. These results suggest that Lmxla-mediated regulation combined with the strategy of co-culture with neural stem cells can robustly promote the differentiation of rhesus adipose stem cells into dopaminergic neurons.

Total saponins of Panax ginseng effects on proliferation and differentiation of human embryonic neural stem cells and in a Parkinson's disease mouse model

BACKGROUND： Total saponins of Panax ginseng （TSPG） exhibits neuroprotection against Parkinson＇s disease in the substantia nigra. OBJECTIVE： To investigate the effects of TSPG on human embryonic neural stem cells （NSCs） proliferation and differentiation into dopaminergic neurons using in vitro studies, and to observe NSC differentiation in a mouse model of Parkinson＇s disease, as well as behavioral changes before and after transplantation. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING： In vitro neural cell biology trial and in vivo randomized, controlled animal trial were performed at the Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chongqing Medical University between September 2004 and December 2007. MATERIALS： TSPG （purity 〉 95%） was isolated, extracted, and identified by Chongqing Academy of Chinese Materia Medica. Recombinant human basic fibroblast growth factor （bFGF） and recombinant human epidermal growth factor （EGF） were purchased from PeproTech, USA. A total of 25 C57/BL6J mice, aged 18-20 weeks were included. Twenty were used to establish a Parkinson＇s disease model with i.p. injection of MPTP （1-methyl-4-phenyl-1, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridine） and TSPG alone or combined with interleukin-1 （IL-1）-treated NSCs prior to transplantation into the corpus striatum. The remaining five mice were pretreated for 3 days with TSPG prior to MPTP injection, serving as the TSPG prevention group. METHODS： Primary NSCs were isolated, cultured and purified from embryonic cerebral cortex. Immunocytochemistry was employed to detect specific antigen expression in the NSCs. In vitro experiment： （1） to induce proliferation, NSCs were treated with TSPG, EGF＋bFGF, or TSPG＋EGF＋bFGF, respectively; （2） to induce dopaminergic neuronal differentiation, NSCs were treated with TSPG, IL-1, or TSPG＋IL-1, respectively. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： In vitro experiment： the effects of TSPG on NSCs proliferation were evaluated with flow cytometry and MTT assay. Tyrosine hydroxylase expression was determined by immunocytochemistry assay to observe effects of TSPG on dopaminergic neuronal differentiation. In vivo experiment： differentiation of grafted NSCs in the mouse brain was determined by immunohistochemical staining. Behavioral changes were evaluated by spontaneous activity frequency, memory function, and score of paralysis agitans. RESULTS： （1） NSCs were cultured and passaged for more than three passages. Immunocytochemistry revealed positive nestin staining, as well as neurofilament protein and glial fibrillary acidic protein. （2） TSPG significantly increased NSC proliferation, in particular when combined with EGF and bFGF, which was twice as effective as FGF or bFGF alone. TSPG also induced dopaminergic differentiation in NSCs, in particular when TSPG was added together with IL-1, resulting in an effect five times greater than that of IL-1 alone. （3） At day 30 following transplantation, most NSCs in the TSPG prevention group differentiated into dopaminergic neurons, and the scores of paralysis agitans, spontaneous activity, and memory function were significantly increased compared with TSPG alone or TSPG＋IL-1 groups （P 〈 0.05）. CONCLUSION： TSPG stimulated NSC proliferation, in particular when combined with FGF and bFGF. TSPG significantly induced dopaminergic neuronal differentiation of NSCs, and the effect was greater when combined with IL-1. In addition, TSPG greatly improved behavior in the Parkinson＇s disease mouse model following NSC transplantation. Following NSC transplantation, TSPG pretreatment exhibited superior efficacy over either TSPG alone or TSPG in combination with IL-1, in terms of behavioral improvements in the Parkinson＇s disease mouse model.

Epigenetic regulation by long noncoding RNAs in osteo-/adipogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stromal cells and degenerative bone diseases

Bone is a complex tissue that undergoes constant remodeling to maintain homeostasis,which requires coordinated multilineage differentiation and proper proliferation of mesenchymal stromal cells(MSCs).Mounting evidence indicates that a disturbance of bone homeostasis can trigger degenerative bone diseases,including osteoporosis and osteoarthritis.In addition to conventional genetic modifications,epigenetic modifications(i.e.,DNA methylation,histone modifications,and the expression of noncoding RNAs)are considered to be contributing factors that affect bone homeostasis.Long noncoding RNAs(lncRNAs)were previously regarded as‘transcriptional noise’with no biological functions.However,substantial evidence suggests that lncRNAs have roles in the epigenetic regulation of biological processes in MSCs and related diseases.In this review,we summarized the interactions between lncRNAs and epigenetic modifiers associated with osteo-/adipogenic differentiation of MSCs and the pathogenesis of degenerative bone diseases and highlighted promising lncRNA-based diagnostic and therapeutic targets for bone diseases.

Effect of An Atmospheric Plasma Jet on the Differentiation of Melanoblast Progenitor

Objective Melanoblasts are the cell source of regeneration for pigment restoration.The ability to differentiate into mature melanocytes is the essential feature of melanoblasts in depigmentation diseases.Cold atmospheric plasma is an ionized gas with near-room temperature and highly reactive species that has been shown to induce stem cell differentiation.The aim of the study was to explore the effect of cold atmospheric plasma on the differentiation of melanoblast progenitor cells.Methods In this study,melanoblasts were exposed to the plasma jet and the cell morphology was observed.The cell cycle and cell proliferation were detected.Furthermore,the cell immunofluorescence and the detection of melanin particle and nitric oxide were carried out to investigate the differentiation of melanoblast progenitor cells.Results Cells that were treated with the plasma had longer and more synaptic structures,and the G1 phase of cell cycle was prolonged in the treated group.More melanin synthesis-related proteins and melanin particles were produced after plasma treatment.Nitric oxide was one of the active components generated by the plasma jet,and the nitric oxide content in the cell culture medium of the treated group increased.Conclusion These results indicate that an increase in nitric oxide production caused by a plasma jet can promote cell differentiation.The application of plasma provides an innovative strategy for the treatment of depigmentation diseases.

Clinical Application Value of Combined Detection of CG and TBA in Differential Diagnosis of Hepatobiliary System Diseases

Objective: To understand the clinical value of combined detection of cholyglycine CG and TBA in differential diagnosis of hepatobiliary diseases. Methods: Serum samples from 50 healthy people were collected as healthy control group. According to the latest disease diagnosis and treatment plan, 58 cases of HBV asymptomatic carrier group, 17 cases of viral hepatitis group, 49 cases of cirrhosis group, 50 cases of primary liver cancer group and 50 cases of other hepatobiliary diseases groups were collected respectively. The concentration levels of cholyglycine and total bile acid in each group were detected, and the differences among each group were compared. Results: By statistical analysis, serum CG concentration in viral hepatitis group, cirrhosis group, primary liver cancer group and other hepatobiliary diseases group was significantly higher than that in asymptomatic HEPATITIS B carriers and healthy control group, the differences were statistically significant (p 0.05). There was no significant difference in CG concentration among viral hepatitis group, liver cirrhosis group, primary liver cancer group and other hepatobiliary diseases group (p > 0.05). The serum TBA levels of asymptomatic carriers, viral hepatitis group, cirrhosis group, primary liver cancer group and other hepatobiliary system diseases group were significantly higher than those of healthy control group, the difference was statistically significant, p 0.05. Conclusion: Serum CG expression can not only detect liver lesions, but also distinguish different liver lesions. The positive rate of CG combined with TBA detection in patients with hepatobiliary diseases is significantly higher than that of single CG index detection. CG combined with TBA detection can significantly improve the sensitivity and accuracy of the diagnosis of hepatobiliary diseases, which is worthy of popularization and application.

Effects of TCM Nursing Based on Syndrome Differentiation on Pulmonary Function and Quality of Life in Patients with Acute Exacerbation of COPD

[Objectives] To investigate the effects of TCM nursing based on syndrome differentiation on pulmonary function and quality of life in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD). [Methods] A total of 92 patients with AECOPD who came to Nanchong Chinese Medicine Hospital from March 2022 to February 2023 were selected for the study, and the intervention group (TCM nursing based on syndrome differentiation, 46 cases) and the conventional group (basic nursing, 46 cases) were selected for the study, and the pulmonary function and quality of life of the two groups were compared. [Results] Before nursing, there was no significant difference in levels of forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), and percentage of forced expiratory volume in one second to forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) between the intervention group and conventional group ( P >0.05). After 3 months of nursing, the levels of FVC, FEV1 and FEV1/FVC in the intervention group were higher than those in the conventional group ( P <0.05). Before nursing, there was no significant difference in the scores of health, emotion and social functions between the two groups ( P >0.05). At three months of nursing, the scores of health, emotion, and social functions in the intervention group were higher than those in the conventional group ( P <0.05). [Conclusions] The implementation of TCM nursing based on syndrome differentiation in patients with AECOPD can effectively improve the pulmonary function and quality of life of patients, and has significant clinical implementation value.

The Comparative Study on Two Models of Syndrome Differentiation of the Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease: An Investigation Analysis of the Signs and Symptoms on 2325 Cases

Objective To realize the characteristics of "zheng" differentiation-treatment for hand, foot and mouth disease(HFMD), a new methodology of syndrome differentiation for different stages of HFMD has been explored. Methods Total of 2 325 cases with HFMD were recorded by distributing them into exterior syndrome stage, interior syndrome stage, severe syndrome stage and recovered syndrome stage, respectively, and the main symptoms and subsidiary symptoms of different stages of HFMD have been observed. The major and minor pathogenesis of HFMD in different stages were obtained, and compared with the "2010 Guideline for the Diagnosis and Treatment of HFMD". Results It was found that the major pathogenesis of exterior stage was defined as "the invation of the wenevil to the defender of the body with the collaterals got involved ", and the minor as "qi deficiency"; in interior stage, "the fury of Gan-Yang" was the main pathogenesis, and "qi in chaos and qi deficiency" was the minor; in severe syndrome stage, "the damage of heart, liver and lung" was the main pathogenesis, and "qi in chaos" was the minor; and the pathogenesis of recovered stage was "qi-yin deficiency". Compared with the "2010 Guideline for the Diagnosis and Treatment of HFMD", it showed that "the obstruction of the fei-pi qi by the mixture of shi-re evil" and "the mixture of shi-re" in vivo was quite difficult to be explained in completely different context in the general situation; in the severe stage, the TCM clinical characteristics of syndrome differentiation might lose; in the early acute severe cases, the phenomenon that xin-yang and fei-qi almost ran out was difficult to be observed, then, the line between the severe and the acute severe became vague.Conclusions The theory of syndrome differentiation by stages of HFMD was reasonable in the actual situation of clinical description on HFMD which was expected to be further tested and widely applied in the "zheng" differentiation-treatment of HFMD in the future.

Exposure to Hyaluronan and Radon-Containing Water during the Treatment of Periodontal Pockets

Hyaluronic acid (HA) preparations have emerged as pivotal components in contemporary dentistry, gaining widespread recognition for their multifaceted roles in various biological functions. Extensive literature underscores the significance of HA in maintaining tissue water balance, fostering cell proliferation, promoting rapid cell migration, influencing cell differentiation during organism development, and facilitating tissue regeneration. Notably, HA’s interactions with cell surface receptors contribute to the viscosity of synovial fluid, activate the immune system, and enhance cartilage elasticity. Beyond these established functions, HA has also been investigated for its potential involvement in determining and studying the hormetic effects of radon water, adding a novel dimension to its applications in dental research. A thorough exploration of existing studies reveals a nuanced understanding of how HA interventions impact the outcomes of dental procedures. The comprehensive scope of these investigations allows for a more accurate assessment of the potential effectiveness of specific interventions and provides valuable insights into post-procedural prognoses for individual patients. This synthesis of literature serves as the foundation for elucidating the intricate interplay between HA, radon exposure, and their relevance in modern dental practices.

Factors influencing myogenic differentiation of adipose-derived stem cells and their application in muscle regeneration

Skeletal muscle regeneration mainly depends on muscle satellite cells;however,these cells are not sufficient for supporting repair and regeneration in volumetric muscle loss(VML),Duchenne muscular dystrophy,and other muscle injuries or muscle diseases.As such,much work has been conducted in recent years to search for myogenic stem cells.Adipose-derived stem cells(ADSCs)have a wide range of sources,rapid growth,and multi-directional differentiation potential,and have become vital candidates for muscle regeneration.Multiple factors influence the myogenic differentiation capacity of ADSCs.This paper reviews the regulatory aspects and possible factors that have been identified in recent years to affect myogenic differentiation of ADSCs.Based on these factors,gene editing,and perfusion concepts,a method was proposed to achieve maximal differentiation efficiency of ADSCs.This study focused on the application of ADSCs in muscle regeneration and disease.Based on the importance of myogenic differentiation of ADSCs for the repair and regeneration of muscle damage,this study provides a basis for future research surrounding the efficient induction of myogenic differentiation of ADSCs in vitro.

Diagnostic value associated with the combination of saliva pepsin and microorganisms in functional heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux disease

Heartburn is a common symptom shared by both gastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD)and functional heartburn(FHB),which can make it challenging to differentiate between the two conditions.However,examining oral manifestations of GERD can be a cost-effective and readily available method to aid in this differentiation process.It may serve as a valuable tool in distinguishing GERD from FHB.

Differential diagnosis of Crohn’s disease and intestinal tuberculosis based on ATR-FTIR spectroscopy combined with machine learning

BACKGROUND Crohn’s disease(CD)is often misdiagnosed as intestinal tuberculosis(ITB).However,the treatment and prognosis of these two diseases are dramatically different.Therefore,it is important to develop a method to identify CD and ITB with high accuracy,specificity,and speed.AIM To develop a method to identify CD and ITB with high accuracy,specificity,and speed.METHODS A total of 72 paraffin wax-embedded tissue sections were pathologically and clinically diagnosed as CD or ITB.Paraffin wax-embedded tissue sections were attached to a metal coating and measured using attenuated total reflectance fourier transform infrared spectroscopy at mid-infrared wavelengths combined with XGBoost for differential diagnosis.RESULTS The results showed that the paraffin wax-embedded specimens of CD and ITB were significantly different in their spectral signals at 1074 cm^(-1) and 1234 cm^(-1) bands,and the differential diagnosis model based on spectral characteristics combined with machine learning showed accuracy,specificity,and sensitivity of 91.84%,92.59%,and 90.90%,respectively,for the differential diagnosis of CD and ITB.CONCLUSION Information on the mid-infrared region can reveal the different histological components of CD and ITB at the molecular level,and spectral analysis combined with machine learning to establish a diagnostic model is expected to become a new method for the differential diagnosis of CD and ITB.

HOW TO MASTER THE DIFFERENTIATION OF SYNDROMES AND THE SELECTION OF ACUPOINTS QUICKLY

Differentiation of syndromes can be done by three steps:First to differentiate thenature of disease,second to differentiate the location of disease,third to analyse comprehensively thenature and location of disease.Depend on complete differentiation of syndromes,the acupoints are selected.Three cases are analysed to explain how to dominate preceding contents.

Primary biliary cholangitis presenting with granulomatous lung disease misdiagnosed as lung cancer:A case report

BACKGROUND There are few cases of pulmonary granulomatous changes secondary to primary biliary cirrhosis(PBC).No case of granulomatous lung disease secondary to PBC misdiagnosed as lung cancer had been reported.CASE SUMMARY A middle-aged woman presented with lung nodules and was misdiagnosed with lung cancer by positron emission tomography/computed tomography.She underwent left lobectomy,and the pathology of the nodules showed granulomatous inflammation,which was then treated with antibiotics.However,a new nodule appeared.Further investigation with lung biopsy and liver serology led to the diagnosis of PBC,and chest computed tomography indicated significant reduction in the pulmonary nodule by treatment with methylprednisolone and ursodeoxycholic acid.CONCLUSION Diagnosis of pulmonary nodules requires integrating various clinical data to avoid unnecessary pulmonary lobectomy.

Direct pre-differentiation of rat mesenchymal stem cells into dopaminergic cells

The use of stem cells has been proposed as an alternative treatment for certain neurodegenerative disorders. It has also been suggested that in the pre-differentiated state, stem cells might provide a better therapeutic option than cells that are undifferentiated or fully differentiated. The purpose of this study was to develop a protocol aimed at reducing the incubation time required to induce the conversion of rat mesenchymal stem cells into immature dopaminergic neurons. Stem cells obtained from rat bone marrow were incubated in a control or induction media for 2-24 h. Cells incubated for 24 h in induction medium demonstrated an increase on the levels of the neuronal protein markers nestin, glial fibrillary acid protein, and β-tubulin III, as well as increases in the expression of Pax3, EN1, Thy1.1, and GEF10 genes. This manuscript presents evidence that adult mesenchymal cells are capable to respond, in a short time period, to a neuroinduction medium, and give raise to pre-differentiated neuron like cells representing an alternative for Parkinson disease cell therapy transplantation.

Overexpression of GATA binding protein 4 and myocyte enhancer factor 2C induces differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells into cardiac-like cells

BACKGROUND Heart diseases are the primary cause of death all over the world.Following myocardial infarction,billions of cells die,resulting in a huge loss of cardiac function.Stem cell-based therapies have appeared as a new area to support heart regeneration.The transcription factors GATA binding protein 4(GATA-4)and myocyte enhancer factor 2C(MEF2C)are considered prominent factors in the development of the cardiovascular system.AIM To explore the potential of GATA-4 and MEF2C for the cardiac differentiation of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells(hUC-MSCs).METHODS hUC-MSCs were characterized morphologically and immunologically by the presence of specific markers of MSCs via immunocytochemistry and flow cytometry,and by their potential to differentiate into osteocytes and adipocytes.hUC-MSCs were transfected with GATA-4,MEF2C,and their combination to direct the differentiation.Cardiac differentiation was confirmed by semiquant itative real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunocytochemistry.RESULTS hUC-MSCs expressed specific cell surface markers CD105,CD90,CD44,and vimentin but lack the expression of CD45.The transcription factors GATA-4 and MEF2C,and their combination induced differentiation in hUC-MSCs with significant expression of cardiac genes i.e.,GATA-4,MEF2C,NK2 homeobox 5(NKX2.5),MHC,and connexin-43,and cardiac proteins GATA-4,NKX2.5,cardiac troponin T,and connexin-43.CONCLUSION Transfection with GATA-4,MEF2C,and their combination effectively induces cardiac differentiation in hUC-MSCs.These genetically modified MSCs could be a promising treatment option for heart diseases in the future.