BACKGROUND The development of fully functional small diameter vascular grafts requires both a properly defined vessel conduit and tissue-specific cellular populations.Mesenchymal stromal cells(MSCs) derived from the W...BACKGROUND The development of fully functional small diameter vascular grafts requires both a properly defined vessel conduit and tissue-specific cellular populations.Mesenchymal stromal cells(MSCs) derived from the Wharton's Jelly(WJ) tissue can be used as a source for obtaining vascular smooth muscle cells(VSMCs),while the human umbilical arteries(h UAs) can serve as a scaffold for blood vessel engineering.AIM To develop VSMCs from WJ-MSCs utilizing umbilical cord blood platelet lysate.METHODS WJ-MSCs were isolated and expanded until passage(P) 4. WJ-MSCs were properly defined according to the criteria of the International Society for Cell and Gene Therapy. Then, these cells were differentiated into VSMCs with the use of platelet lysate from umbilical cord blood in combination with ascorbic acid,followed by evaluation at the gene and protein levels. Specifically, gene expression profile analysis of VSMCs for ACTA2, MYH11, TGLN, MYOCD, SOX9,NANOG homeobox, OCT4 and GAPDH, was performed. In addition,immunofluorescence against ACTA2 and MYH11 in combination with DAPI staining was also performed in VSMCs. HUAs were decellularized and served as scaffolds for possible repopulation by VSMCs. Histological and biochemical analyses were performed in repopulated h UAs.RESULTS WJ-MSCs exhibited fibroblastic morphology, successfully differentiating into"osteocytes", "adipocytes" and "chondrocytes", and were characterized by positive expression(> 90%) of CD90, CD73 and CD105. In addition, WJ-MSCs were successfully differentiated into VSMCs with the proposed differentiation protocol. VSMCs successfully expressed ACTA2, MYH11, MYOCD, TGLN and SOX9. Immunofluorescence results indicated the expression of ACTA2 and MYH11 in VSMCs. In order to determine the functionality of VSMCs, h UAs were isolated and decellularized. Based on histological analysis, decellularized h UAs were free of any cellular or nuclear materials, while their extracellular matrix retained intact. Then, repopulation of decellularized h UAs with VSMCs was performed for 3 wk. Decellularized h UAs were repopulated efficiently by the VSMCs. Biochemical analysis revealed the increase of total hydroyproline and s GAG contents in repopulated h UAs with VSMCs. Specifically, total hydroxyproline and s GAG content after the 1 st, 2 nd and 3 rd wk was 71 ± 10, 74 ± 9 and 86 ± 8 μg hydroxyproline/mg of dry tissue weight and 2 ± 1, 3 ± 1 and 3 ± 1μg s GAG/mg of dry tissue weight, respectively. Statistically significant differences were observed between all study groups(P<0.05).CONCLUSION VSMCs were successfully obtained from WJ-MSCs with the proposed differentiation protocol. Furthermore, h UAs were efficiently repopulated by VSMCs. Differentiated VSMCs from WJ-MSCs could provide an alternative source of cells for vascular tissue engineering.展开更多
Cell-based regenerative medicine is of growing interest in biomedical research. The role of stem cells in this context is under intense scrutiny and may help to define principles of organ regeneration and develop inno...Cell-based regenerative medicine is of growing interest in biomedical research. The role of stem cells in this context is under intense scrutiny and may help to define principles of organ regeneration and develop innovative therapeutics for organ failure. Utilizing stem and progenitor cells for organ replacement has been conducted for many years when performing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Since the first successful transplantation of umbilical cord blood to treat hematological malignancies, non-hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell populations have recently been identified within umbilical cord blood and other perinatal and fetal tissues. A cell population entitled mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) emerged as one of the most intensely studied as it subsumes a variety of capacities: MSCs can differentiate into various subtypes of the mesodermal lineage, they secrete a large array of trophic factors suitable of recruiting endogenous repair processes and they are immunomodulatory.Focusing on perinatal tissues to isolate MSCs, we will discuss some of the challenges associated with these cell types concentrating on concepts of isolation and expansion, the comparison with cells derived from other tissue sources, regarding phenotype and differentiation capacity and finally their therapeutic potential.展开更多
文摘BACKGROUND The development of fully functional small diameter vascular grafts requires both a properly defined vessel conduit and tissue-specific cellular populations.Mesenchymal stromal cells(MSCs) derived from the Wharton's Jelly(WJ) tissue can be used as a source for obtaining vascular smooth muscle cells(VSMCs),while the human umbilical arteries(h UAs) can serve as a scaffold for blood vessel engineering.AIM To develop VSMCs from WJ-MSCs utilizing umbilical cord blood platelet lysate.METHODS WJ-MSCs were isolated and expanded until passage(P) 4. WJ-MSCs were properly defined according to the criteria of the International Society for Cell and Gene Therapy. Then, these cells were differentiated into VSMCs with the use of platelet lysate from umbilical cord blood in combination with ascorbic acid,followed by evaluation at the gene and protein levels. Specifically, gene expression profile analysis of VSMCs for ACTA2, MYH11, TGLN, MYOCD, SOX9,NANOG homeobox, OCT4 and GAPDH, was performed. In addition,immunofluorescence against ACTA2 and MYH11 in combination with DAPI staining was also performed in VSMCs. HUAs were decellularized and served as scaffolds for possible repopulation by VSMCs. Histological and biochemical analyses were performed in repopulated h UAs.RESULTS WJ-MSCs exhibited fibroblastic morphology, successfully differentiating into"osteocytes", "adipocytes" and "chondrocytes", and were characterized by positive expression(> 90%) of CD90, CD73 and CD105. In addition, WJ-MSCs were successfully differentiated into VSMCs with the proposed differentiation protocol. VSMCs successfully expressed ACTA2, MYH11, MYOCD, TGLN and SOX9. Immunofluorescence results indicated the expression of ACTA2 and MYH11 in VSMCs. In order to determine the functionality of VSMCs, h UAs were isolated and decellularized. Based on histological analysis, decellularized h UAs were free of any cellular or nuclear materials, while their extracellular matrix retained intact. Then, repopulation of decellularized h UAs with VSMCs was performed for 3 wk. Decellularized h UAs were repopulated efficiently by the VSMCs. Biochemical analysis revealed the increase of total hydroyproline and s GAG contents in repopulated h UAs with VSMCs. Specifically, total hydroxyproline and s GAG content after the 1 st, 2 nd and 3 rd wk was 71 ± 10, 74 ± 9 and 86 ± 8 μg hydroxyproline/mg of dry tissue weight and 2 ± 1, 3 ± 1 and 3 ± 1μg s GAG/mg of dry tissue weight, respectively. Statistically significant differences were observed between all study groups(P<0.05).CONCLUSION VSMCs were successfully obtained from WJ-MSCs with the proposed differentiation protocol. Furthermore, h UAs were efficiently repopulated by VSMCs. Differentiated VSMCs from WJ-MSCs could provide an alternative source of cells for vascular tissue engineering.
基金Supported by Research Funds of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (01GN0531 and 01GN0939)Proj-ect Commissioned by the European Community ("CASCADE"HEALTH-F5-2009-223236).
文摘Cell-based regenerative medicine is of growing interest in biomedical research. The role of stem cells in this context is under intense scrutiny and may help to define principles of organ regeneration and develop innovative therapeutics for organ failure. Utilizing stem and progenitor cells for organ replacement has been conducted for many years when performing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Since the first successful transplantation of umbilical cord blood to treat hematological malignancies, non-hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell populations have recently been identified within umbilical cord blood and other perinatal and fetal tissues. A cell population entitled mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) emerged as one of the most intensely studied as it subsumes a variety of capacities: MSCs can differentiate into various subtypes of the mesodermal lineage, they secrete a large array of trophic factors suitable of recruiting endogenous repair processes and they are immunomodulatory.Focusing on perinatal tissues to isolate MSCs, we will discuss some of the challenges associated with these cell types concentrating on concepts of isolation and expansion, the comparison with cells derived from other tissue sources, regarding phenotype and differentiation capacity and finally their therapeutic potential.
