Trichostatin A inhibits TGF-β1 induced in vitro chondrogenesis of hMSCs through Sp1 suppression

Interaction and Collaboration of SP1, HIF-1, and MYC in Regulating the Expression of Cancer-Related Genes to Further Enhance Anticancer Drug Development

Specificity protein 1 (SP1), hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1), and MYC are important transcription factors (TFs). SP1, a constitutively expressed housekeeping gene, regulates diverse yet distinct biological activities; MYC is a master regulator of all key cellular activities including cell metabolism and proliferation; and HIF-1, whose protein level is rapidly increased when the local tissue oxygen concentration decreases, functions as a mediator of hypoxic signals. Systems analyses of the regulatory networks in cancer have shown that SP1, HIF-1, and MYC belong to a group of TFs that function as master regulators of cancer. Therefore, the contributions of these TFs are crucial to the development of cancer. SP1, HIF-1, and MYC are often overexpressed in tumors, which indicates the importance of their roles in the development of cancer. Thus, proper manipulation of SP1, HIF-1, and MYC by appropriate agents could have a strong negative impact on cancer development. Under these circumstances, these TFs have naturally become major targets for anticancer drug development. Accordingly, there are currently many SP1 or HIF-1 inhibitors available; however, designing efficient MYC inhibitors has been extremely difficult. Studies have shown that SP1, HIF-1, and MYC modulate the expression of each other and collaborate to regulate the expression of numerous genes. In this review, we provide an overview of the interactions and collaborations of SP1, HIF1A, and MYC in the regulation of various cancer-related genes, and their potential implications in the development of anticancer therapy.

Small molecule compounds promote the proliferation of chondrocytes and chondrogenic differentiation of stem cells in cartilage tissue engineering

The application of tissue engineering to generate cartilage is limited because of low proliferative ability and unstable phenotype of chondrocytes. The sources of cartilage seed cells are mainly chondrocytes and stem cells. A variety of methods have been used to obtain large numbers of chondrocytes, including increasing chondrocyte proliferation and stem cell chondrogenic differentiation via cytokines, genes, and proteins. Natural or synthetic small molecule compounds can provide a simple and effective method to promote chondrocyte proliferation, maintain a stable chondrocyte phenotype, and promote stem cell chondrogenic differentiation. Therefore, the study of small molecule compounds is of great importance for cartilage tissue engineering. Herein, we review a series of small molecule compounds and their mechanisms that can promote chondrocyte proliferation, maintain chondrocyte phenotype, or induce stem cell chondrogenesis. The studies in this field represent significant contributions to the research in cartilage tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

Effects of various antimicrobial agents on multi-directional differentiation potential of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells

Antimicrobial drugs of several classes play an important role in the treatment of bone and joint infections. In addition to fighting pathogenic microorganisms, the effects of drugs on local tissues and cells are also related to the course and prognosis of bone and joint infections. The multi-directional differentiation potential of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is essential for tissue repair after local injury, which is directly related to the recovery of bone, cartilage, and medullary adipose tissue. Our previous studies and the literature indicate that certain antimicrobial agents can regulate the differentiation potential of bone marrow-derived MSCs. Here, in order to systematically analyze the effects of various antimicrobial drugs on local tissue regeneration, we comprehensively review the studies on the effects of these drugs on MSC differentiation, and classify them according to the three differentiation directions (osteogenesis, chondrogenesis, and adipogenesis). Our review demonstrates the specific effects of different antimicrobial agents on bone marrow-derived MSCs and the range of concentrations at which they work, and provides a basis for drug selection at different sites of infection.

Corticosteroid inhibits differentiation of palmar fibromatosis-derived stem cells (FSCs) through downregulation of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)

Treatment for musculoskeletal fibromatosis remains challenging. Surgical excision for fibromatosis is the standard therapy but recurrence remains high. Corticosteroids, an anti-fibrogenic compound, have been used to treat early stage palmar fibromatosis, but the mechanism is unknown. We investigated the inhibitory mechanism effect of corticosteroids in the murine model of fibromatosis nodule as well as in cultured FSCs. Quantitative reverse transcription/polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis and immunofluorescence (IF) staining for markers of myofibroblasts (α-smooth muscle actin and type III collagen) were used to examine the effect of dexamethasone on myofibroblasic differentiation of FSCs both in vitro and in vivo. Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) signaling and its downstream targets were examined using western blot analysis. TGF-β1 expression in FSCs before and after dexamethasone treatment was compared. In addition, inhibition of TGF-β1 expression was examined using RNA interference (RNAi) on FSCs, both in vitro and in vivo. Treating FSCs with dexamethasone inhibited FSCs’ myofibroblastic differentiation in vitro. Treating FSCs with dexamethasone before or after implantation further inhibited formation of fibromatosis nodules. Dexamethasone suppressed expression of TGF-β1 and pSmad2/3 by FSCs in vitro. TGF-β1 knockdown FSCs showed reducing myofibroblastic differentiation both in vitro and in vivo. Finally, addition of TGF-β1 abolished dexamethasone-mediated inhibition of myofibroblastic differentiation. Dexamethasone inhibits the myofibroblastic differentiated potential of FSCs both in vitro and in vivo through inhibition of TGF-β1 expression in FSCs. TGF-β1 plays a key role in myofibroblastic differentiation.

Effects of Trichostatin A on the Chondrogenesis from Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) are a class of compounds that suppress the function of histone deacetylases (HDACs). This study was performed to examine the effects of Trichostatin A (TSA), a typical HDACi, on chondrogenesis of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMMSCs) and related molecular pathways. After evaluating the concentration for cytotoxicity and HDAC activity, hBMMSCs underwent chondrogenic differentiation in pellet culture with or without TSA for 21 days. The weight of TSA-treated pellets was 25% lower than that of untreated pellets. DNA level was not significantly different, but glycosaminoglycan content per DNA level was lower in TSA-treated pellets than that of untreated pellets. Gene expression of the chondrogenic markers (SOX9, Aggrecan, and Col2A1) decreased by by 12.9-fold, 8.9-fold, and 7.6-fold respectively in TSA-treated pellets compared with that in TSA-untreated pellets. TSA-treated pellets had lower cell density and lower proteoglycan staining content compared with those of TSA-untreated pellets. A microarray analysis from TSA-treated pellets showed that 1,467 chondrogenic-related genes were downregulated and 1,524 were upregulated by more than 2-fold compared with TSA-untreated pellets. Col10A1, TGF-β3, and SOX9 decreased significantly by 10-fold, 2.1-fold, and 3.2-fold respectively in TSA-treated pellets compared with those in untreated pellets, whereas expression of BMP4 and FGFR3 increased significantly by 2.1-fold and 5.4-fold respectively. It is concluded that TSA inhibits chondrogenesis and does not seem to be useful for cartilage tissue engineering of hBMMSCs.

Downregulation of HDAC1 is involved in the cardiomyocyte differentiation from mesenchymal stem cells in a myocardial microenvironment

Under myocardial microenvironment, bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can transdifferentiate into cardiomyocytes (CMs). However, the role of histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) in this directed differentiation process remains unclear. The current study is to determine the acetylation regulatory mechanisms that may be involved in the directed CM differentiation from MSCs. MSCs isolated from male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were marked with Ad-EGFP and co-cultured with CMs. Flow cytometry was used to sort EGFP-positive (EGFP+) MSCs from the co-culture system. Then, the expression of cardiac troponin T (cTnT) in these MSCs was detected by immunofluorescence assay. In addition, HDAC1 levels at different co-culture times were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (QT-PCR) and Western blotting. At 4 days after co-culture with CMs, the MSCs began to expression detectable levels of cTnT. The expression of HDAC1 in CMs was much lower than that in MSCs. After co-culture with CMs, the expression of HDAC1 in MSCs was significantly decreased in a time dependent manner. In addition, our recent study has also identified that knockdown of the HDAC1 could promote the directed differentiation of MSCs into CMs. The results suggest that HDAC1 has a negative correlation with cardiac cell differentiation from MSCs under a myocardial microenvironment. HDAC1 might play an important role in the directed differentiation of MSCs into CMs in heart.

Knockdown of the HDAC1 promotes the directed differentiation of bone mesenchymal stem cells into cardiomyocytes

Failure of the directed differentiation of the transplanted stem cells into cardiomyocytes is still a major challenge of cardiac regeneration therapy. Our recent study has demonstrated that the expression of histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) is decreased in bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) during their differentiation into cardiomyocytes. However, the potential roles of HDAC1 in cardiac cell differentiation of BMSCs, as well as the mechanisms involved are still unclear. In current study, the expression of HDAC1 in cultured rat BMSCs is knocked down by lentiviral vectors expressing HDAC1-RNAi. The directed differentiation of BMSCs into cardiomyocytes is evaluated by the expression levels of cardiomyocyte-related genes such as GATA-binding protein 4 (GATA-4), Nirenberg, Kim gene 2 homeobox 5 (Nkx2.5), cardiac troponin T (CTnT), myosin heavy chain (MHC), and connexin-43. Compared with that in control BMSCs, the expression of these cardiomyocyte-related genes is significantly increased in these HDAC1 deficient stem cells. The results suggest that HDAC1 is involved in the cardiomyocyte differentiation of BMSCs. Knockdown of the HDAC1 may promote the directed differentiation of BMSCs into cardiomyocytes.

Molecular basis of organ fibrosis: potential therapeutic approaches

Fibrosis, a non-physiological wound healing in multiple organs, is associated with end-stage pathological symptoms of a wide variety of vascular injury and inflammation related diseases. In response to chemical, immunological and physical insults, the body's defense system and matrix synthetic machinery respond to healing the wound and maintain tissue homeostasis. However, uncontrolled wound healing leads to scarring or fibrosis, a pathological condition characterized by excessive synthesis and accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins, loss of tissue homeostasis and organ failure. Understanding the actual cause of pathological wound healing and identification of igniter(s) of fibrogenesis would be helpful to design novel therapeutic approaches to control pathological wound healing and to prevent fibrosis related morbidity and mortality. In this article, we review the significance of a few key cytokines (TGF-β, IFN-γ, IL-10) transcriptional activators (Sp1, Egr-1, Smad3), repressors (Smad7, Fli-1, PPAR-γ, p53, Klotho) and epigenetic modulators (acetyltransferase, methyltransferases, deacetylases, microRNAs) involved in major matrix protein collagen synthesis under pathological stage of wound healing, and the potentiality of these regulators as therapeutic targets for fibrosis treatment. The significance of endothelial to mesenchymal transition (EndMT) and senescence, two newly emerged fields in fibrosis research, has also been discussed.