技术资料

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a critical factor in the regulation of stromal function and hematopoiesis. In vivo bromodeoxyuridine incorporation analysis indicates that the percentage of Lin(-)Sca-1(+) hematopoietic progenitors undergoing DNA synthesis is diminished in IL-6-deficient (IL-6(-/-)) bone marrow (BM) compared with wild-type BM. Reduced proliferation of IL-6(-/-) BM progenitors is also observed in IL-6(-/-) long-term BM cultures,which show defective hematopoietic support as measured by production of total cells,granulocyte macrophage-colony-forming units (CFU-GMs),and erythroid burst-forming units (BFU-Es). Seeding experiments of wild-type and IL-6(-/-) BM cells on irradiated wild-type or IL-6-deficient stroma indicate that the hematopoietic defect can be attributed to the stromal and not to the hematopoietic component. In IL-6(-/-) BM,stromal mesenchymal precursors,fibroblast CFUs (CFU-Fs),and stroma-initiating cells (SICs) are reduced to almost 50% of the wild-type BM value. Moreover,IL-6(-/-) stromata show increased CD34 and CD49e expression and reduced expression of the membrane antigens vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1),Sca-1,CD49f,and Thy1. These data strongly suggest that IL-6 is an in vivo growth factor for mesenchymal precursors,which are in part implicated in the reduced longevity of the long-term repopulating stem cell compartment of IL-6(-/-) mice. View Publication

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are being tested in a wide range of human diseases; however,loss of potency and inconsistent quality severely limit their use. To overcome these issues,we have utilized a developmental precursor called the hemangioblast as an intermediate cell type in the derivation of a highly potent and replenishable population of MSCs from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). This method circumvents the need for labor-intensive hand-picking,scraping,and sorting that other hESC-MSC derivation methods require. Moreover,unlike previous reports on hESC-MSCs,we have systematically evaluated their immunomodulatory properties and in vivo potency. As expected,they dynamically secrete a range of bioactive factors,display enzymatic activity,and suppress T-cell proliferation that is induced by either allogeneic cells or mitogenic stimuli. However,they also display unique immunophenotypic properties,as well as a smaller size and textgreater30,000-fold proliferative capacity than bone marrow-derived MSCs. In addition,this is the first report which demonstrates that hESC-MSCs can inhibit CD83 up-regulation and IL-12p70 secretion from dendritic cells and enhance regulatory T-cell populations induced by interleukin 2 (IL-2). This is also the first report which shows that hESC-MSCs have therapeutic efficacy in two different autoimmune disorder models,including a marked increase in survival of lupus-prone mice and a reduction of symptoms in an autoimmune model of uveitis. Our data suggest that this novel and therapeutically active population of MSCs could overcome many of the obstacles that plague the use of MSCs in regenerative medicine and serve as a scalable alternative to current MSC sources. View Publication

The purpose of this study was to examine the in vitro and in vivo osteogenic potential of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) against that of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMMSCs). Embryoid bodies (EBs),which were formed from undifferentiated hiPSCs,were dissociated into single cells and underwent osteogenic differentiation using the same medium as hBMMSCs for 14 days. Osteoinduced hiPSCs were implanted on the critical-size calvarial defects and long bone segmental defects in rats. The healing of defects was evaluated after 8 weeks and 12 weeks of implantation,respectively. Osteoinduced hiPSCs showed relatively lower and delayed in vitro expressions of the osteogenic marker COL1A1 and bone sialoprotein,as well as a weaker osteogenic differentiation through alkaline phosphatase staining and mineralization through Alizarin red staining compared with hBMMSCs. Calvarial defects treated with osteoinduced hiPSCs had comparable quality of new bone formation,including full restoration of bone width and robust formation of trabeculae,to those treated with hBMMSCs. Both osteoinduced hiPSCs and hBMMSCs persisted in regenerated bone after 8 weeks of implantation. In critical-size long bone segmental defects,osteoinduced hiPSC treatment also led to healing of segmental defects comparable to osteoinduced hBMMSC treatment after 12 weeks. In conclusion,despite delayed in vitro osteogenesis,hiPSCs have an in vivo osteogenic potential as good as hBMMSCs. View Publication

PURPOSE Demonstrate a novel manufacturing method to generate extracellular matrix scaffolds from cardiac fibroblasts (CF-ECM) as a therapeutic mesenchymal stem cell-transfer device. MATERIALS AND METHODS Rat CF were cultured at high-density (˜1.6×10(5)/cm(2)) for 10-14 days. Cell sheets were removed from the culture dish by incubation with EDTA and decellularized with water and peracetic acid. CF-ECM was characterized by mass spectrometry,immunofluorescence and scanning electron microscopy. CF-ECM seeded with human embryonic stem cell derived mesenchymal stromal cells (hEMSCs) were transferred into a mouse myocardial infarction model. 48 hours later,mouse hearts were excised and examined for CF-ECM scaffold retention and cell transfer. RESULTS CF-ECM scaffolds are composed of fibronectin (82%),collagens type I (13%),type III (3.4%),type V (0.2%),type II (0.1%) elastin (1.3%) and 18 non-structural bioactive molecules. Scaffolds remained intact on the mouse heart for 48 hours without the use of sutures or glue. Identified hEMSCs were distributed from the epicardium to the endocardium. CONCLUSIONS High density cardiac fibroblast culture can be used to generate CF-ECM scaffolds. CF-ECM scaffolds seeded with hEMSCs can be maintained on the heart without suture or glue. hEMSC are successfully delivered throughout the myocardium. View Publication

BACKGROUND Cardiovascular cell therapy represents a promising field,with several approaches currently being tested. The advanced therapy medicinal product (ATMP) for the ongoing METHOD clinical study (Bone marrow derived cell therapy in the stable phase of chronic ischemic heart disease") consists of fresh mononuclear cells (MNC) isolated from autologous bone marrow (BM) through density gradient centrifugation on standard Ficoll-Paque. Cells are tested for safety (sterility� View Publication

Expansion of pluripotent stem cells in defined media devoid of animal-derived feeder cells to generate multilayered three-dimensional (3D) bulk preparations or spheroids,rather than two-dimensional (2D) monolayers,is advantageous for many regenerative,biological or disease-modelling studies. Here we show that electrospun polymer matrices comprised of nanofibres that mimic the architecture of the natural fibrous extracellular matrix allow for feeder-free expansion of pluripotent human induced pluripotent stem cells (IPSCs) and human embryonic stem cells (HESCs) into multilayered 3D 'patty-like' spheroid structures in defined xeno-free culture medium. The observation that IPSCs and HESCs readily revert to 2D growth in the absence of the synthetic nanofibre membranes suggests that this 3D expansion behaviour is mediated by the physical microenvironment and artificial niche provided by the nanofibres only. Importantly,we could show that such 3D growth as patties maintained the pluripotency of cells as long as they were kept on nanofibres. The generation of complex multilayered 3D structures consisting of only pluripotent cells on biodegradable nanofibre matrices of the desired shape and size will enable both industrial-scale expansion and intricate organ-tissue engineering applications with human pluripotent stem cells,where simultaneous coupling of differentiation pathways of all germ layers from one stem cell source may be required for organ formation. View Publication

Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) have demonstrated great potential for hyaline cartilage regeneration. However,current approaches for chondrogenic differentiation of hiPSCs are complicated and inefficient primarily due to intermediate embryoid body formation,which is required to generate endodermal,ectodermal,and mesodermal cell lineages. We report a new,straightforward and highly efficient approach for chondrogenic differentiation of hiPSCs,which avoids embryoid body formation. We differentiated hiPSCs directly into mesenchymal stem /stromal cells (MSC) and chondrocytes. hiPSC-MSC-derived chondrocytes showed significantly increased Col2A1,GAG,and SOX9 gene expression compared to hiPSC-MSCs. Following transplantation of hiPSC-MSC and hiPSC-MSC-derived chondrocytes into osteochondral defects of arthritic joints of athymic rats,magnetic resonance imaging studies showed gradual engraftment,and histological correlations demonstrated hyaline cartilage matrix production. Results present an efficient and clinically translatable approach for cartilage tissue regeneration via patient-derived hiPSCs,which could improve cartilage regeneration outcomes in arthritic joints. View Publication

Adult hepatocytes are polarised with their apical and basolateral membranes separated from neighbouring cells by tight junction proteins. Although efficient differentiation of pluripotent stem cells to hepatocytes has been achieved,the formation of proper polarisation in these cells has not been thoroughly investigated. In the present study,human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) were differentiated to hepatocyte-like cells and the derived hepatocytes were characterised for mature hepatocyte markers. The secretion of hepatic proteins,expression of hepatic genes and the functional hepatic polarisation of stem cell-derived hepatocytes,foetal hepatocytes and the HepG2 hepatic cell line were evaluated and the different lines were compared. The results indicate that hESC-derived hepatocytes are phenotypically more robust and functionally more efficient compared with the hMSC-derived hepatocytes,suggesting their suitability for toxicity studies. View Publication

BACKGROUND: The most debilitating skeletal complication of stem cell transplantation (SCT) is avascular necrosis (AVN). METHODS: Two hundred seven consecutive patients were evaluated prospectively for AVN. They survived disease free for more than 180 days after autologous or allogeneic SCT for hematologic malignancies. The diagnosis of AVN in suspicious cases was confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging. Possible correlations with treatments,bone mineral density (BMD),graft versus host disease (GVHD),and in vitro growth of fibroblast progenitors were investigated. Bone mineral density was evaluated by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in 100 transplanted patients,and the in vitro growth of fibroblast progenitors was monitored by a fibroblast colony-forming unit (CFU-F) assay in 30 patients after allogeneic SCT. RESULTS: Twelve patients developed AVN 3-114 months (median,26 months) following SCT: 10 (10%) after allogeneic SCT and 2 (1.9%) after autologous SCT (P = 0.04). Twenty-five joints were affected by AVN. All patients had femoral head involvement,which was managed with hip replacement in six of them. All but one patient who developed AVN after allogeneic SCT suffered from chronic GVHD (cGVHD). Avascular necrosis occurred 1-4 months after exacerbation or progression of cGVHD. Cumulative dose of steroids was similar in both SCT groups (including steroids given pretransplant for the basic disease),whereas treatment duration was significantly longer in the allogeneic SCT group. Avascular necrosis was related to the decreased number of bone marrow CFU-F colonies in vitro,but not to BMD values. CONCLUSIONS: Avascular necrosis is a skeletal complication that occurs more often after allogeneic than after autologous SCT. Occurrence of AVN symptoms after clinical follow-up of cGVHD suggests that cGVHD requiring long-term steroid therapy is one of the main risk factors for AVN. Avascular necrosis may be facilitated by a severe deficit in the repopulating capacity of bone marrow stromal stem cells after SCT. View Publication

Stem cells exhibit a promiscuous gene expression pattern. We show herein that the early embryo and adult MSCs express B-cell receptor component mRNAs. To examine possible bearings of these genes on the expressing cells,we studied immunoglobulin mu chain-deficient mice. Pregnant mu chain-deficient females were found to produce a higher percentage of defective morulae compared with control females. Structure analysis indicated that the mu mRNA species found in embryos and in mesenchyme consist of the constant region of the mu heavy chain that encodes a recombinant 50-kDa protein. In situ hybridization localized the constant mu gene expression to loose mesenchymal tissues within the day-12.5 embryo proper and the yolk sac. In early embryo and in adult mesenchyme from mu-deficient mice,delta replaced mu chain,implying a possible requirement of these alternative molecules for embryo development and mesenchymal functions. Indeed,overexpression of the mesenchymal-truncated mu heavy chain in 293T cells resulted in specific subcellular localization and in G(1) growth arrest. The lack of such occurrence following overexpression of a complete,rearranged form of mu chain suggests that the mesenchymal version of this mRNA may possess unique functions. View Publication

Current therapies for delayed- or nonunion bone fractures are still largely ineffective. Previous studies indicated that the VEGF homolog placental growth factor (PlGF) has a more significant role in disease than in health. Therefore we investigated the role of PlGF in a model of semi-stabilized bone fracture healing. Fracture repair in mice lacking PlGF was impaired and characterized by a massive accumulation of cartilage in the callus,reminiscent of delayed- or nonunion fractures. PlGF was required for the early recruitment of inflammatory cells and the vascularization of the fracture wound. Interestingly,however,PlGF also played a role in the subsequent stages of the repair process. Indeed in vivo and in vitro findings indicated that PlGF induced the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal progenitors and stimulated cartilage turnover by particular MMPs. Later in the process,PlGF was required for the remodeling of the newly formed bone by stimulating osteoclast differentiation. As PlGF expression was increased throughout the process of bone repair and all the important cell types involved expressed its receptor VEGFR-1,the present data suggest that PlGF is required for mediating and coordinating the key aspects of fracture repair. Therefore PlGF may potentially offer therapeutic advantages for fracture repair. View Publication

Hematopoiesis is maintained by specific interactions between both hematopoietic and nonhematopoietic cells. Whereas hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) have been extensively studied both in vitro and in vivo,little is known about the in vivo characteristics of stem cells of the nonhematopoietic component,known as mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Here we have visualized and characterized human MSCs in vivo following intramedullary transplantation of enhanced green fluorescent protein-marked human MSCs (eGFP-MSCs) into the bone marrow (BM) of nonobese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficiency (NOD/SCID) mice. Between 4 to 10 weeks after transplantation,eGFP-MSCs that engrafted in murine BM integrated into the hematopoietic microenvironment (HME) of the host mouse. They differentiated into pericytes,myofibroblasts,BM stromal cells,osteocytes in bone,bone-lining osteoblasts,and endothelial cells,which constituted the functional components of the BM HME. The presence of human MSCs in murine BM resulted in an increase in functionally and phenotypically primitive human hematopoietic cells. Human MSC-derived cells that reconstituted the HME appeared to contribute to the maintenance of human hematopoiesis by actively interacting with primitive human hematopoietic cells. View Publication