Mesenchymal Stem Cells Self-Regulate Their Differentiation To Maintain the Bone Marrow Stromal System.

Abstract Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) account for a very small population in bone marrow stroma as a non-hematopoietic component with multipotency of differentiation into adipocytes, osteocytes and chondrocytes. MSC-derived cells are known to have hematopoiesis-supporting and immunomodulatory abilities. Although clinical applications of MSCs have already been conducted for the suppression of graft versus host disease in allogeneic stem cell transplantation and for tissue regeneration, underlying mechanisms of the biological events are still obscure. Previously, we established a differentiation model of MSCs using a mouse embryo fibroblast cell line, C3H10T1/2 (10T1/2) (Nishikawa M et al: Blood81:1184–1192, 1993). Preadipocyte (A54) and myoblast (M1601) cell lines were cloned by treatment with 5-azacytidine. A54 cells and M1601 cells can terminally differentiate into adipocytes and myotubes, respectively, under appropriate conditions, while parent 10T1/2 cells remain undifferentiated. Moreover, A54 cells show a higher ability to support hematopoiesis compared with the other cell lines. In this study, we analyzed gene expression profiles of the three cell lines by using DNA microarray and real-time PCR to investigate molecular mechanisms for maintaining immaturity of parent 10T1/2 cells. In A54 cells, 202 genes were up-regulated, including those encoding critical factors for hematopoiesis such as SCF, Angiopoietin-1, and SDF-1 as well as genes known to be involved in adipocyte differentiation such as C/EBPα, C/EBPδ and PPAR-γ genes. These data are consistent with the hematopoiesis-supporting ability of A54 cells. During adipocyte differentiation, SCF and SDF-1 expression levels decreased in A54 cells while C/EBPα expression showed a steady level. Recently, osteoblasts have been reported to play crucial roles in “niche” for self-renewal of hematopoietic stem cells. Our results also implicate that precursor cells of non-hematopoietic components may have important roles for hematopoiesis in bone marrow. Meanwhile, in parent 10T1/2 cells, 105 genes were up-regulated, including CD90, Dlk, Wnt5α and many functionally unknown genes. Although C/EBPα expression was induced in 10T1/2 cells without differentiation under the adipocyte differentiation conditions, CD90 expression decreased, Dlk showed a steady level and Wnt5α was up-regulated. Assuming that some regulatory mechanisms are needed to keep an immature state of parent 10T1/2 cells even under the differentiation-inducible conditions, we performed following experiments. First, enforced Dlk expression in A54 cells did not inhibit terminal differentiation to adipocytes under the differentiation conditions. Second, when we cultured A54 cells in the conditioned media of parent 10T1/2 cells under the differentiation-inducible conditions, adipocyte differentiation was inhibited, suggesting that 10T1/2 cells produce some soluble molecules that can inhibit adipocyte differentiation. Since Wnt family is known to be involved in the regulation of self-renewal of several stem cells, Wnt5α may be one candidate for maintenance of “stemness” of MSCs. Taken together, the data of 10T1/2 cells suggest that MSCs can self-regulate their differentiation in the bone marrow stromal system. This concept may be important to investigate the fatty change of bone marrow in aging and in aplastic anemia.

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Differential gene expression profiling of adult murine hematopoietic stem cells

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v99.2.488 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 99 (2) ◽

pp. 488-498 ◽

Cited By ~ 122

Author(s):

In-Kyung Park ◽

Yaqin He ◽

Fangming Lin ◽

Ole D. Laerum ◽

Qiang Tian ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gene Expression ◽

Stem Cells ◽

Hematopoietic Stem Cells ◽

Differential Gene Expression ◽

Molecular Mechanisms ◽

Expression Profiles ◽

Cdna Clones ◽

Self Renewal ◽

Hematopoietic Stem ◽

Differential Gene

Abstract Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) have self-renewal capacity and multilineage developmental potentials. The molecular mechanisms that control the self-renewal of HSCs are still largely unknown. Here, a systematic approach using bioinformatics and array hybridization techniques to analyze gene expression profiles in HSCs is described. To enrich mRNAs predominantly expressed in uncommitted cell lineages, 54 000 cDNA clones generated from a highly enriched population of HSCs and a mixed population of stem and early multipotent progenitor (MPP) cells were arrayed on nylon membranes (macroarray or high-density array), and subtracted with cDNA probes derived from mature lineage cells including spleen, thymus, and bone marrow. Five thousand cDNA clones with very low hybridization signals were selected for sequencing and further analysis using microarrays on glass slides. Two populations of cells, HSCs and MPP cells, were compared for differential gene expression using microarray analysis. HSCs have the ability to self-renew, while MPP cells have lost the capacity for self-renewal. A large number of genes that were differentially expressed by enriched populations of HSCs and MPP cells were identified. These included transcription factors, signaling molecules, and previously unknown genes.

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Senescent Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Myelodysplastic Syndrome: Functional Alterations, Molecular Mechanisms, and Therapeutic Strategies

Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology ◽

10.3389/fcell.2020.617466 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

Author(s):

Xiaofang Chen ◽

Ningyu Li ◽

Jianyu Weng ◽

Xin Du

Keyword(s):

Stem Cells ◽

Bone Marrow ◽

Mesenchymal Stem Cells ◽

Myelodysplastic Syndrome ◽

Molecular Mechanisms ◽

Replicative Senescence ◽

Bone Marrow Microenvironment ◽

Hematopoietic Stem ◽

Hematopoietic Disorders ◽

Cellular Components

Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is a group of clonal hematopoietic disorders related to hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell dysfunction. However, therapies that are currently used to target hematopoietic stem cells are not effective. These therapies are able to slow the evolution toward acute myeloid leukemia but cannot eradicate the disease. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been identified as one of the main cellular components of the bone marrow microenvironment, which plays an indispensable role in normal hematopoiesis. When functional and regenerative capacities of aging MSCs are diminished, some enter replicative senescence, which promotes inflammation and disease progression. Recent studies that investigated the contribution of bone marrow microenvironment and MSCs to the initiation and progression of the disease have offered new insights into the MDS. This review presents the latest updates on the role of MSCs in the MDS and discusses potential targets for the treatment of MDS.

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SPRY4 is responsible for pathogenesis of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis by contributing to osteogenic differentiation and melatonin response of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells

Cell Death and Disease ◽

10.1038/s41419-019-1949-7 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (11) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jing Li ◽

Na Li ◽

Yunfei Chen ◽

Shangyi Hui ◽

Junfen Fan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Stem Cells ◽

Bone Marrow ◽

Mesenchymal Stem Cells ◽

Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis ◽

Idiopathic Scoliosis ◽

Osteogenic Differentiation ◽

Molecular Mechanisms ◽

Expression Profiles ◽

Gene Expression Profiles ◽

Dependent Manner

Abstract Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is a complex, three-dimensional deformity of the spine that commonly occurs in pubescent girls. Decreased osteogenic differentiation and aberrant melatonin signalling have been demonstrated in mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from AIS patients and are implicated in the pathogenesis of AIS. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these abnormal cellular features remain largely unknown. Our previous work comparing gene expression profiles between MSCs from AIS patients and healthy controls identified 1027 differentially expressed genes. In the present study, we focused on one of the most downregulated genes, SPRY4, in the MAPK signalling pathway and examined its role in osteogenic differentiation. We found that SPRY4 is markedly downregulated in AIS MSCs. Knockdown of SPRY4 impaired differentiation of healthy MSCs to osteoblasts, while SPRY4 overexpression in AIS MSCs enhanced osteogenic differentiation. Furthermore, melatonin treatment boosted osteogenic differentiation, whereas SPRY4 ablation ablated the promotional effects of melatonin. Moreover, SPRY4 was upregulated by melatonin exposure and contributed to osteogenic differentiation and melatonin response in a MEK-ERK1/2 dependent manner. Thus, loss of SPRY4 in bone marrow derived-MSCs results in reduced osteogenic differentiation, and these defects are further aggravated under the influence of melatonin. Our findings provide new insights for understanding the role of melatonin in AIS aetiology and highlight the importance of MSCs in AIS pathogenesis.

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Comparison of Long Noncoding RNA and mRNA Expression Profiles in Mesenchymal Stem Cells Derived from Human Periodontal Ligament and Bone Marrow

BioMed Research International ◽

10.1155/2014/317853 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 2014 ◽

pp. 1-12 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Rui Dong ◽

Juan Du ◽

Liping Wang ◽

Jinsong Wang ◽

Gang Ding ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Stem Cells ◽

Bone Marrow ◽

Mesenchymal Stem Cells ◽

Mrna Expression ◽

Periodontal Ligament ◽

Noncoding Rna ◽

Molecular Mechanisms ◽

Biological Activities ◽

Expression Profiles ◽

Wnt Signaling Pathway

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in different anatomic locations possess diverse biological activities. Maintaining the pluripotent state and differentiation depend on the expression and regulation of thousands of genes, but it remains unclear which molecular mechanisms underlie MSC diversity. Thus, potential MSC applications are restricted. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are implicated in the complex molecular circuitry of cellular processes. We investigated differences in lncRNA and mRNA expression profiles between bone marrow stem cells (BMSCs) and periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) with lncRNA microarray assays and bioinformatics analysis. In PDLSCs, numerous lncRNAs were significantly upregulated (n=457) or downregulated (n=513) compared to BMSCs. Furthermore, 1,578 mRNAs were differentially expressed. These genes implicated cellular pathways that may be associated with MSC characteristics, including apoptosis, MAPK, cell cycle, and Wnt signaling pathway. Signal-net analysis indicated that phospholipase C beta 4, filamin B beta, calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II gamma, and the ionotropic glutamate receptor, AMPA 1, had the highest betweenness centrality among significant genes in the differential gene profile network. A comparison between the coding-noncoding gene coexpression networks of PDLSCs and BMSCs identified chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 12 as a core regulatory factor in MSC biology. These results provided insight into the mechanisms underlying MSC biology.

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Phenotype, Function, and Regulation of Migrating Hematopoietic Stem Cells.

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v104.11.2680.2680 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 104 (11) ◽

pp. 2680-2680

Author(s):

Amy J. Wagers ◽

Susan S. Prohaska ◽

Emmanuelle Passegue ◽

Jessica Price ◽

Irving L. Weissman

Keyword(s):

Stem Cells ◽

Bone Marrow ◽

Hematopoietic Stem Cells ◽

Cell Transplantation ◽

Molecular Mechanisms ◽

Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation ◽

Expression Profiles ◽

Gene Expression Profiles ◽

Cell Cycle Regulators ◽

Hematopoietic Stem

Abstract Hematopoiesis in adult animals is maintained by a small population of clonogenic, multipotent hematopoietic stem cells (HSC), which maintain throughout life the capacity to self-renew and to differentiate to give rise to progeny cells that ultimately generate all lineages of mature blood cells. In adult mice and humans, the majority of HSC are found in the bone marrow (BM); however, HSC are also constitutively present at low levels in the circulation. The frequency of HSC in the blood can be significantly increased through the use of “mobilizing” agents, including cytotoxic drugs and/or cytokines, which often act both to drive HSC proliferation and to induce HSC migration from the BM into the bloodstream. Yet despite the increasingly common clinical exploitation of HSC in bone marrow and mobilized peripheral blood progenitor cell transplantation, both the evolutionary rationale and the molecular mechanisms that underlie the remarkable migratory capacity of HSC remain largely unknown. Therefore, to begin to elucidate the mechanisms and regulators of these events, we have used parabiotic and transplantation models to characterize normal blood-borne HSC. Our data clearly demonstrate that HSC are constitutively present in the blood of untreated mice and maintain a cell surface phenotype in the blood highly similar to their BM counterparts. Blood-borne HSC in normal mice can engraft both irradiated and non-irradiated BM niches, and subsequently are phenotypically and functionally indistinguishable from endogenous, host-type cells. These data suggest that BM homing of transplanted HSC in irradiated recipients and HSC mobilization in cytokine-treated animals likely makes use of pre-existing pathways that support the constitutive recirculation of these cells in normal animals. Finally, to extend these data and begin to uncover factors likely to play a role in stimulating HSC migration in both normal and mobilized mice, we have employed cDNA microarray technology to compare global gene expression profiles of normal and pre-migratory BM HSC, and have thus identified multiple candidate genes, including cell cycle regulators, signaling molecules, and transcription factors, that may be involved in HSC expansion or in HSC retention in and/or egress from the BM. Taken together, these findings provide significant insight into the dynamic nature and function of HSC, and may ultimately suggest novel and improved strategies for clinical hematopoietic cell transplantation.

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Ang1 Functions as An Autocrine Activating Factor of Tie2 Signaling In Hematopoietic Stem Cells.

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v116.21.1548.1548 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 116 (21) ◽

pp. 1548-1548

Author(s):

Haruka Momose ◽

Kazuya Takizawa ◽

Madoka Kuramitsu ◽

Takuo Mizukami ◽

Atsuko Masumi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Stem Cells ◽

Bone Marrow ◽

Hematopoietic Stem Cells ◽

Molecular Mechanisms ◽

Bone Marrow Cells ◽

Conflicts Of Interest ◽

Lentiviral Vector ◽

Down Regulation ◽

Self Renewal ◽

Hematopoietic Stem

Abstract Abstract 1548 Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are clonogenic cells that possess the self-renewal capacity to produce more HSCs, as well as the multilineage potential that gives rise to a defined set of mature differentiated progeny for maintenance or repair of the whole blood system. HSCs lie in the hematopoietic niches located along the inner surface of the bone or the sinusoidal endothelium, and are in contact with niche cells. The cell-cell interactions with niche cells are believed to be an important prerequisite to trigger signaling events in HSCs, thereby controlling the balance between HSC self-renewal and differentiation. However, the precise molecular mechanisms regulating niche cell-HSC interactions are not well understood. One of the key molecules for those interactions is Angiopoietin-1 (Ang1). Ang1 is expressed by the niche cells and has been identified as an activating ligand for Tie2 (tyrosine kinase with Ig-like loops and epidermal growth factor homology domains 2). The expression of Tie2 is dominant in HSCs, and Tie2 in HSCs is supposed to be stimulated by Ang1 derived from niche cells. However, Ang1 is also expressed in HSCs. Detailed analysis has shown that Ang1 expression was found to be restricted in long-term HSCs (CD34-lineage-Sca-1+c-Kit+), indicating that Ang1 derived from HSCs plays a role in regulating HSCs. We attempted to elucidate a novel regulating system for HSCs through Ang1-Tie2 signaling by utilizing a hematopoietic cell line in which Tie2 was stably expressed (Ba/F3-Tie2). In Ba/F3-Tie2 cells, Tie2 was found to be phosphorylated on tyrosine residues, even without exogenous addition of Ang1. In the same cells, the expression level of endogenous Ang1 was increased four-fold. When Ang1 expression was down-regulated by transduction with a lentiviral vector expressing short hairpin RNA (shRNA) for Ang1 (shAng1), the phosphorylation of Tie2 was suppressed, suggesting that Tie2 expressed in Ba/F3-Tie2 cells could be stimulated by endogenous Ang1. To mimic the physiological circumstances of the bone marrow, Ba/F3-Tie2 cells were cultured on OP9 stromal cells. Under these culture conditions, the effect of endogenous Ang1 was investigated. Down-regulation of Ang1 by shAng1 demonstrated an approximate 50% reduction in the proliferation of Ba/F3-Tie2 cells on the OP9 cell layer. A HSC-rich population of cells prepared from bone marrow (lineage-Sca-1+c-Kit+; LSK) was also analyzed on OP9 cell layers. Similar to the results obtained from the analysis of Ba/F3-Tie2 cells, down-regulation of Ang1 by shAng1 resulted in an approximately 70% decrease in the proliferation of LSK cells cultured on OP9 monolayers. We confirmed that the suppressive effect on HSC proliferation was due to the lack of Ang1 from HSCs by culturing on Ang1-defective OP9 cells. Finally, we performed in vivo analysis to confirm the importance of endogenous Ang1 to HSCs. Ly5.2 LSK cells transduced with the shAng1 expressing vector were transplanted along with Ly5.1xLy5.2 bone marrow cells into lethally irradiated Ly5.1 mice. The Ly5.2 donor-derived cells in the recipient's peripheral blood were monitored every 2 weeks. As expected, shAng1-introduced donor cells were at decreased ratios at week four (mean ratios, 31.5% for control vs. 17.5% for shAng1), and were reduced to an even lower level at week 12 (mean ratios, 27.1% for control vs. 6.79% for shAng1). This phenomenon was also confirmed by histochemical results, where statistically fewer HSCs existed in the bone marrow of recipient mice in which shAng1-introduced HSCs were transplanted, as compared to the control. Altogether, our data suggested that Tie2 in HSCs could be stimulated by the Ang1 produced by the surrounding HSCs, and this possible autocrine regulation might control the functions of HSCs. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

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Characterization of Intercellular Junctional Complexes between Human Hematopoietic and Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v108.11.1396.1396 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 108 (11) ◽

pp. 1396-1396

Author(s):

Patrick Wuchter ◽

Rainer Saffrich ◽

Beate Straub ◽

Judit Boda-Heggemann ◽

Katrin Miesala ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Stem Cells ◽

Bone Marrow ◽

Mesenchymal Stem Cells ◽

Adherens Junctions ◽

Cellular Interaction ◽

Bovine Bone ◽

Self Renewal ◽

Hematopoietic Stem ◽

Junctional Complexes ◽

Intercellular Connections

Abstract The interaction between hematopoietic stem cells and their niche is essential for the balance between self-renewal and differentiation. We previously demonstrated that intercellular connections in mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are realized by occasional gap junctions and frequent adherens junctions, comprising specific cadherin-catenin-complexes. Using MSC-feeder-layer as a surrogate model for the hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) niche, we have analyzed the intercellular junctional complexes between HSC and MSC. MSC were obtained from bone marrow aspirates from healthy voluntary donors. HSC were isolated from umbilical cord blood. Using advanced confocal laser scanning in combination with deconvolution and volume rendering software, we were able to produce 3D-images of intercellular junctions between HSC and MSC. We used a panel of antibodies specific for various components of tight, gap and adherens junctions. Additionally, we compared the data to human and bovine bone marrow tissue in situ. We could show that intercellular connections between HSC and MSC are mainly realized by podia formation of the HSC linking to the adjacent MSC. These podia vary greatly in length and shape (uropodia, filopodia). Along these podia and especially at the contact zone to the MSC, we have identified the cytoplasmic plaque proteins alpha- and beta-catenin and protein p120ctn, as well as the transmembrane glycoprotein N-cadherin. This study provided solid evidence for the direct and intimate cellular interaction of HSCs with their niche. Direct cell contact represents a key factor for the regulation of self-renewal versus differentiation. The examination of the specific function of catenins, p120ctn and N-cadherin in this process is concurrently underway.

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