Cell kinetics, DNA integrity, differentiation, and lipid fingerprinting analysis of rabbit adipose-derived stem cells

Chondroprotective Effects of Chondrogenic Differentiated Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Sheet on Degenerated Articular Cartilage in an Experimental Rabbit Model

Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) have been studied for many years as a therapeutic option for osteoarthritis (OA); however, their efficacy remains insufficient. Since platelet-rich plasma (PRP) induces chondrogenic differentiation in ADSCs and the formation of a sheet structure by ascorbic acid can increase the number of viable cells, we hypothesized that the injection of chondrogenic cell sheets combined with the effects of PRP and ascorbic acid may hinder the progression of OA. The effects of induction of differentiation by PRP and formation of sheet structure by ascorbic acid on changes in chondrocyte markers (collagen II, aggrecan, Sox9) in ADSCs were evaluated. Changes in mucopolysaccharide and VEGF-A secretion from cells injected intra-articularly in a rabbit OA model were also evaluated. ADSCs treated by PRP strongly chondrocyte markers, including type II collagen, Sox9, and aggrecan, and their gene expression was maintained even after sheet-like structure formation induced by ascorbic acid. In this rabbit OA model study, the inhibition of OA progression by intra-articular injection was improved by inducing chondrocyte differentiation with PRP and sheet structure formation with ascorbic acid in ADSCs.

Adipose-Derived Stem Cell Sheets Promote Meniscus Regeneration Regardless of Whether the Defect Involves the Inner Half or the Whole Width of the Anterior Half of the Medial Meniscus in a Rabbit Model

PURPOSE

To investigate the regenerative effect of adipose-derived stem cell (ADSC) sheets in two different rabbit models of meniscal defects.

METHODS

Forty-two rabbits were randomly divided into two groups: the whole (Group 1) or the inner half (Group 2) of anterior half of the medial meniscus was removed from both knees. The ADSC sheets were transplanted into one knee, whereas in the other knee the meniscal defect was left untreated (self-control). The histological score and expression of genes encoding collagen type I and II (COL1/2), SRY-box transcription factor 9 (SOX9), and aggrecan (ACAN) were compared between the ADSC sheet-treated and untreated menisci at 4 and 12 weeks. The ADSC sheet-treated menisci at 12 weeks were also analyzed immunohistochemically to assess the collagen component.

RESULTS

The histological score was significantly higher in the treated side than in the control side at 4 and 12 weeks in both groups (Group 1; P = .016 and .032; Group 2; P = .030 and .016, respectively). All genes evaluated showed significantly higher expression in the treated side than in the control side in both groups, except COL2 and SOX9 at 4 weeks and COL2 at 12 weeks in Group 1, and COL1 in Group 2 at 4 weeks. The ADSC sheet-treated meniscus in Group 1 contained mostly COL1, whereas the Group 2 had less COL1, but was rich in COL2.

CONCLUSIONS

ADSC sheets can promote meniscal regeneration regardless of whether the defect involves the inner half or whole width of the anterior half of the medial meniscus. However, the collagen component of the ADSC sheet-treated tissue differs depending on the defect site.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

ADSCs may help meniscal regeneration due to meniscal defects after meniscectomy. This study suggests longer-term follow-up and mechanical analysis as next steps.

Tratamento da lesão muscular com células-tronco – Estudo experimental em coelhos

Objetivo Avaliação histológica e macroscópica do processo de cicatrização das lesões agudas do músculo reto femoral, com utilização de células-tronco derivadas de tecido adiposo (ADSCs, na sigla em inglês).

Método Foi realizado um estudo experimental com 18 patas traseiras de coelhos Nova Zelândia, que foram divididos em três nos grupos de estudo de acordo com a intervenção a ser realizada. No grupo I não foi realizado procedimento cirúrgico; no grupo II - SHAN foi realizado a lesão experimental sem nenhum protocolo de intervenção adicional; e no grupo III - Intervenção foi realizado a adição de ADSCs na mesma topografia onde foi realizada a lesão experimental. Após o período proposto, 2 semanas, o material foi coletado, submetido a avaliação macroscópica e histológica.

Resultados A análise quantitativa demonstrou que a adição de ADSCs está relacionada com a diminuição de células inflamatórias na avaliação com 2 semanas (164,2 células no grupo II - SHAN para 89,62 células no grupo III – ADSC). A análise qualitativa das lâminas coradas com Picrosírius red demonstrou um aumento das fibras de cor laranja/amarela no grupo III – ADSC, o que evidencia um processo final de cicatrização. A avaliação macroscópica não encontrou diferença entre os grupos.

Conclusão A utilização de ADSCs no tratamento de lesão muscular aguda apresentou vantagens histológicas quando comparada a sua não utilização.

Multimodal Label-Free Monitoring of Adipogenic Stem Cell Differentiation Using Endogenous Optical Biomarkers

Stem cell-based therapies carry significant promise for treating human diseases. However, clinical translation of stem cell transplants for effective treatment requires precise non-destructive evaluation of the purity of stem cells with high sensitivity (<0.001% of the number of cells). Here, a novel methodology using hyperspectral imaging (HSI) combined with spectral angle mapping-based machine learning analysis is reported to distinguish differentiating human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs) from control stem cells. The spectral signature of adipogenesis generated by the HSI method enables identifying differentiated cells at single-cell resolution. The label-free HSI method is compared with the standard techniques such as Oil Red O staining, fluorescence microscopy, and qPCR that are routinely used to evaluate adipogenic differentiation of hASCs. HSI is successfully used to assess the abundance of adipocytes derived from transplanted cells in a transgenic mice model. Further, Raman microscopy and multiphoton-based metabolic imaging is performed to provide complementary information for the functional imaging of the hASCs. Finally, the HSI method is validated using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-mass spectrometry imaging of the stem cells. The study presented here demonstrates that multimodal imaging methods enable label-free identification of stem cell differentiation with high spatial and chemical resolution.

Periodic injections of adipose-derived stem cell sheets attenuate osteoarthritis progression in an experimental rabbit model

Background

Subcutaneous adipose tissue represents an abundant source of multipotent adult stem cells named as Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs). With a cell sheet approach, ADSCs survive longer, and can be delivered in large quantities. We investigated whether intra-articular ADSC sheets attenuated osteoarthritis (OA) progression in a rabbit anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT) model.

Methods

Fabricating medium containing ascorbate-2-phosphate was used to enhance collagen protein secretion by the ADSCs to make ADSC sheets. At 4 weeks after ACLT, autologous ADSC sheets were injected intra-articularly into the right knee (ADSC sheets group), and autologous cell death sheets treated by liquid nitrogen were injected into the left knee (control group). Subsequent injections were administered once weekly. Femoral condyles were compared macroscopically and histologically.

Results

Macroscopically, OA progression was significantly milder in the ADSC sheets than in the control groups. Histologically, control knees showed obvious erosions in the medial and lateral condyles, while cartilage was retained predominantly in the ADSC sheets group. Immunohistochemically, MMP-1, MMP-13, ADAMTS-4 were less expressive in the ADSC sheets than in the control groups.

Conclusions

Periodic ADSC sheets injections inhibited articular cartilage degeneration without inducing any adverse effects. A large quantity of autologous ADSCs delivered by cell sheets homed to the synovium and protected chondrocytes.

Cl- channels regulate lipid droplet formation via Rab8a expression during adipocyte differentiation

Several studies have shown that Cl^- channels regulate the differentiation of some cell types. Thus, we investigated the role of Cl^- channels on adipocyte differentiation using adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ASCs) and Cl^- channel blocker. We induced rabbit ASCs into adipocytes using Cl^- channel blocker. The expression levels of adipocyte markers were no significant difference between the cells treated with a Cl^- channel blocker NPPB and untreated cells. However, when the cells were treated with NPPB, lipid droplets (LDs) sizes decreased compared with the untreated control. Interestingly, the expression levels of Rab8a, which is known as a regulator of LD fusion, were also decreased in the cells treated with NPPB. Other Cl^- channel blockers, DIDS and IAA-94, also inhibited large LDs formation and Rab8a expression. These results demonstrate that Cl^- channels do not regulate the adipocyte differentiation, but do regulate the LDs formation via Rab8a expression.Abbreviations: ASCs: adipose tissue-derived stem cells; LDs: lipid droplets; RUNX2: runt-related transcription factor 2; CFTR: cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator; TG: triacylglycerol; FA: fatty acid; GLUT4: glucose transporter type 4; ER: endoplasmic reticulum; ADRP: adipose differentiation-related protein; TIP47: tail-interacting protein of 47 kD; HSL: hormone sensitive lipase; PBS: phosphate-buffered saline; DMEM: Dulbecco's modified Eagle Medium; FBS: fetal bovine serum; SMA: smooth muscle actin; FAS: fatty acid synthase; ZONAB: ZO-1 associated nucleic acid binding protein; PPAR-γ: peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ; C/EBPα: CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α; CE: cholesteryl ester; V-ATPase: vacuolar H⁺ ATPase.

Integrated Lipidomics and Transcriptomics Characterization upon Aging-Related Changes of Lipid Species and Pathways in Human Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Aberrant differentiations of bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) have proved to be associated with the occurrence of senile osteoporosis. However, mechanisms of this phenomenon relative to abnormal lipid metabolism remain unclear. This study was conducted to characterize the lipidomics alterations during BMSC passaging, aiming at uncovering the aging-related lipid metabolism that may play an important role in aberrant differentiations of BMSCs. Principal component analysis presented the sequential lipidomics alterations during BMSC passaging. The majority of glycerophospholipids, including phosphatidylcholines, phosphatidylethanolamines, phosphatidylglycerols, as well as sphingolipids, revealed significant elevations, whereas the others, including phosphatidic acids, phosphatidylinositols, and phosphatidylserines, presented decreases in aged cells. Double-bond equivalent versus carbon number plots demonstrated that the changing trends and significances of lipids during passaging were associated with the chain length and the degree of unsaturation. In the correlation networks, the scattering patterns of lipid categories suggested the category-related metabolic independence and potential conversion among phosphatidic acids, phosphatidylinositols, and phosphatidylserines. The lipid-enzyme integrated pathway analysis indicated the activated metabolic conversion from phosphatidic acids to CDP-diacylglycerol to phosphatidylinositols and from sphingosine to ceramides to sphingomyelins with BMSC passaging. The conversions among lipid species described the lipidomics responses that potentially induced the aberrant differentiations during BMSC aging.

Expression patterns of mesenchymal stem cell-specific proteins in adipose tissue-derived cells: possible immunosuppressing agent in partial allograft for restoring the urinary bladder in rabbits

ABSTRACT: Adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ADSCs) are an attractive source of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for use in tissue engineering and clinical applications. This paper focuses on the characterization of ADSCs used as immunosuppressive agent in rabbits undergoing partial allograft for urine bladder restorage. For this study highlighted the characterization of the ADSCs used as immunosuppressive agents in rabbits submitted to partial allograft for restoration of the urinary vesicle, using 25 animals, six months old, New Zealand. ADSCs at the third peal were characterized by the MSC-specific CD105, CD73 and CD90 expression and by the absence of the hematopoietic marker CD45, as revealed by flow cytometry analysis. Moreover, ADSCs were efficient in preventing allograft rejection from the urinary bladder, as judged by biochemical, clinical and ultrasonography analysis. Together, these results compose characterization of protein expression profiles and immunosuppressive functionality of ADSCs in rabbits, which had undergone partial allografts of the urinary bladder, foreseeing future applications in clinical practice.