Use of Proteomic Differential Displays to Assess Functional Discrepancies and Adjustments of Human Bone Marrow- and Wharton Jelly-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Evolution and function of calponin and transgelin

Calponin and transgelin (originally named SM22) are homologous cytoskeleton proteins that regulate actin-activated myosin motor functions in smooth muscle contraction and non-muscle cell motility during adhesion, migration, proliferation, phagocytosis, wound healing, and inflammatory responses. They are abundant cytoskeleton proteins present in multiple cell types whereas their physiological functions remain to be fully established. This focused review summarizes the evolution of genes encoding calponin and transgelin and their isoforms and discusses the structural similarity and divergence in vertebrate and invertebrate species in the context of functions in regulating cell motility. As the first literature review focusing on the evolution of the calponin-transgelin family of proteins in relevance to their structure-function relationship, the goal is to outline a foundation of current knowledge for continued investigations to understand the biological functions of calponin and transgelin in various cell types during physiological and pathological processes.

Targeting the lncMST-EPRS/HSP90AB1 complex as novel therapeutic strategy for T-2 toxin-induced growth retardation

Growth retardation is a global public health problem that is highly prevalent especially in low-and middle-income countries, which is closely related to the consumption of grains contaminated with T-2 toxin, a risk for human and animal health. However, the possible targets that can relieve T-2 toxin-induced growth retardation still need to be explored. In the present study, T-2 toxin was used as an environmental exposure factor to induce growth retardation and further explore the regulatory role of lncRNA in growth retardation. The present study systematically characterised the expression profiles of lncRNAs and identified a lncRNA lncMST that is related to growth retardation in T-2 toxin-administered rats. Functionally, lncMST could alleviate cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in T-2 toxin-treated GH3 cells. Mechanistically, lncMST, serve as an inducible chaperone RNA, involved in the paradigm "Chemical-induced stress related growth retardation", through recruiting the EPRS/HSP90AB1 complex to increase HDAC6 expression, thus further alleviating T-2 toxin-induced growth retardation. These findings for the first time demonstrate that the probable therapeutic relationship between lncMST and growth retardation, providing an explanation and therapeutic targets for the pathogenesis of growth retardation.

Identification of Two Novel CIL-102 Upregulations of ERP29 and FUMH to Inhibit the Migration and Invasiveness of Colorectal Cancer Cells by Using the Proteomic Approach

CIL-102 (1-[4-(furo[2,3-b]quinolin-4-ylamino) phenyl]ethanone) is a major active agent of Camptotheca acuminata’s alkaloid derivative, and its anti-tumorigenic activity, a valuable biological property of the agent, has been reported in many types of cancer. In this study, we researched the novel CIL-102-induced protein for either the induction of cell apoptosis or the inhibition of cell migration/invasiveness in colorectal cancer cells (CRC) and their molecular mechanism. Firstly, our data showed that CIL-102 treatment not only increased the cytotoxicity of cells and the production of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), but it also decreased cell migration and invasiveness in DLD-1 cells. In addition, many cellular death-related proteins (cleavage caspase 9, cleavage caspase 3, Bcl-2, and TNFR1 and TRAIL) and JNK MAPK/p300 pathways were increased in a time-dependent manner. Using the proteomic approach with a MALDI-TOF-TOF analysis, CIL-102-regulated differentially expressed proteins were identified, including eight downregulated and 11 upregulated proteins. Among them, upregulated Endoplasmic Reticulum resident Protein 29 (ERP29) and Fumarate Hydratase (FUMH) by CIL-102 were blocked by the inhibition of ROS production, JNK activity, and p300/CBP (CREB binding protein) signaling pathways. Importantly, the knockdown of ERP29 and FUMH expression by shRNA abolished the inhibition of cell migration and invasion by CIL-102 in DLD-1 cells. Together, our findings demonstrate that ERP29 and FUMH were upregulated by CIL102 via ROS production, JNK activity, and p300/CBP pathways, and that they were involved in the inhibition of the aggressive status of colorectal cancer cells.

Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stromal Cell-Derived Exosomes Rescue the Loss of Outer Hair Cells and Repair Cochlear Damage in Cisplatin-Injected Mice

Umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (UCMSCs) have potential applications in regenerative medicine. UCMSCs have been demonstrated to repair tissue damage in many inflammatory and degenerative diseases. We have previously shown that UCMSC exosomes reduce nerve injury-induced pain in rats. In this study, we characterized UCMSC exosomes using RNA sequencing and proteomic analyses and investigated their protective effects on cisplatin-induced hearing loss in mice. Two independent experiments were designed to investigate the protective effects on cisplatin-induced hearing loss in mice: (i) chronic intraperitoneal cisplatin administration (4 mg/kg) once per day for 5 consecutive days and intraperitoneal UCMSC exosome (1.2 μg/μL) injection at the same time point; and (ii) UCMSC exosome (1.2 μg/μL) injection through a round window niche 3 days after chronic cisplatin administration. Our data suggest that UCMSC exosomes exert protective effects in vivo. The post-traumatic administration of UCMSC exosomes significantly improved hearing loss and rescued the loss of cochlear hair cells in mice receiving chronic cisplatin injection. Neuropathological gene panel analyses further revealed the UCMSC exosomes treatment led to beneficial changes in the expression levels of many genes in the cochlear tissues of cisplatin-injected mice. In conclusion, UCMSC exosomes exerted protective effects in treating ototoxicity-induced hearing loss by promoting tissue remodeling and repair.

Transgelins: Cytoskeletal Associated Proteins Implicated in the Metastasis of Colorectal Cancer

Transgelins, including transgelin-1 (T-1), transgelin-2 (T-2), and transgelin-3 (T-3), are a family of actin-binding proteins (ABPs) that can alter the structure and morphology of the cytoskeleton. These proteins function by regulating migration, proliferation and apoptosis in many different cancers. Several studies have shown that in various types of tumor cells, including colorectal cancer (CRC) cells, and in the tumor microenvironment, the expression and biological effects of transgelins are diverse and may transform during tumor progression. Previous researches have demonstrated that transgelin levels are positively correlated with metastasis in CRC, and down-regulating their expression can inhibit this process. In advanced disease, T-1 is a tumor activator with increasing expression, and T-2 expression increases with the progression of CRC. Finally, T-3 is only expressed in neurons and is not associated with CRC. This evidence suggests that T-1 and T-2 are potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for CRC metastasis.

S100 Calcium Binding Protein A9 Represses Angiogenic Activity and Aggravates Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head

Ischemic damage aggravation of femoral head collapse is a prominent pathologic feature of osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH). In this regard, S100 calcium binding protein A9 (S100A9) is known to deteriorate joint integrity, however, little is understood about which role S100A9 may play in ONFH. In this study, a proteomics analysis has revealed a decrease in the serum S100A9 level in patients with ONFH upon hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Serum S100A9 levels, along with serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b levels were increased in patients with ONFH, whereas serum osteocalcin levels were decreased as compared to healthy controls. Serum S100A9 levels were increased with the Ficat and Arlet stages of ONFH and correlated with the patients with a history of being on glucocorticoid medication and alcohol consumption. Osteonecrotic tissue showed hypovasculature histopathology together with weak immunostaining for vessel marker CD31 and von Willrbrand factor (vWF) as compared to femoral head fracture specimens. Thrombosed vessels, fibrotic tissue, osteocytes, and inflammatory cells displayed strong S100A9 immunoreactivity in osteonecrotic lesion. In vitro, ONFH serum and S100A9 inhibited the tube formation of vessel endothelial cells and vessel outgrowth of rat aortic rings, whereas the antibody blockade of S100A9 improved angiogenic activities. Taken together, increased S100A9 levels are relevant to the development of ONFH. S100A9 appears to provoke avascular damage, ultimately accelerating femoral head deterioration through reducing angiogenesis. This study provides insight into the molecular mechanism underlying the development of ONFH. Here, analysis also highlights that serum S100A9 is a sensitive biochemical indicator of ONFH.

Transgelin-2: A potential oncogenic factor

Actin-binding proteins are proteins that could bind to actin or actin fibers. As a member of actin-binding proteins, Transgelin-2 is expressed in smooth muscle cells and non-smooth muscle cells, and its gene, TAGLN2, is differently expressed in all cells and tissues. The deregulation of Transgelin-2 is considered to be correlated with progression of many kinds of diseases, especially the development of malignant tumors, such as invasion, metastasis, and resistance, yet the function and mechanism of action of Transgelin-2 remain elusive. Therefore, we reviewed the basic characteristics and function of Transgelin-2 and its biological role in various types of diseases in order to provide the theoretical basis for further research and new perspectives on cancer development.

Current View on Osteogenic Differentiation Potential of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Derived from Placental Tissues

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) isolated from human term placental tissues possess unique characteristics, including their peculiar immunomodulatory properties and their multilineage differentiation potential. The osteogenic differentiation capacity of placental MSC has been widely disputed, and continues to be an issue of debate. This review will briefly discuss the different MSC populations which can be obtained from different regions of human term placenta, along with their unique properties, focusing specifically on their osteogenic differentiation potential. We will present the strategies used to enhance osteogenic differentiation potential in vitro, such as through the selection of subpopulations more prone to differentiate, the modification of the components of osteo-inductive medium, and even mechanical stimulation. Accordingly, the applications of three-dimensional environments in vitro and in vivo, such as non-synthetic, polymer-based, and ceramic scaffolds, will also be discussed, along with results obtained from pre-clinical studies of placental MSC for the regeneration of bone defects and treatment of bone-related diseases.

Bone and cartilage regeneration with the use of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells

INTRODUCTION

The production of functional alternatives to bone autografts and the development new treatment strategies for cartilage defects are great challenges that could be addressed by the field of tissue engineering. Umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can be used to produce cost-effective, atraumatic and possibly autologous bone and cartilage grafts.

AREAS COVERED

MSCs can be isolated from umbilical cord Wharton's jelly, perivascular tissue and blood using various techniques. Those cells have been characterized and phenotypic similarities with bone marrow-derived MSCs (BM-MSCs) and embryonic stem cells have been found. Findings on their differentiation into the osteogenic and chondrogenic lineage differ between studies and are not as consistent as for BM-MSCs.

EXPERT OPINION

MSCs from umbilical cords have to be more extensively studied and the mechanisms underlying their differentiation have to be clarified. To date, they seem to be an attractive alternative to BM-MSCs. However, further research with suitable scaffolds and growth factors as well as with novel scaffold fabrication and culture technology should be conducted before they are introduced to clinical practice and replace BM-MSCs.

Global proteomic analysis of brain tissues in transient ischemia brain damage in rats

Ischemia-reperfusion injury resulting from arterial occlusion or hypotension in patients leads to tissue hypoxia with glucose deprivation, which causes endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and neuronal death. A proteomic approach was used to identify the differentially expressed proteins in the brain of rats following a global ischemic stroke. The mechanisms involved the action in apoptotic and ER stress pathways. Rats were treated with ischemia-reperfusion brain injuries by the bilateral occlusion of the common carotid artery. The cortical neuron proteins from the stroke animal model (SAM) and the control rats were separated using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) to purify and identify the protein profiles. Our results demonstrated that the SAM rats experienced brain cell death in the ischemic core. Fifteen proteins were expressed differentially between the SAM rats and control rats, which were assayed and validated in vivo and in vitro. Interestingly, the set of differentially expressed, down-regulated proteins included catechol O-methyltransferase (COMT) and cathepsin D (CATD), which are implicated in oxidative stress, inflammatory response and apoptosis. After an ischemic stroke, one protein spot, namely the calretinin (CALB2) protein, showed increased expression. It mediated the effects of SAM administration on the apoptotic and ER stress pathways. Our results demonstrate that the ischemic injury of neuronal cells increased cell cytoxicity and apoptosis, which were accompanied by sustained activation of the IRE1-alpha/TRAF2, JNK1/2, and p38 MAPK pathways. Proteomic analysis suggested that the differential expression of CALB2 during a global ischemic stroke could be involved in the mechanisms of ER stress-induced neuronal cell apoptosis, which occurred via IRE1-alpha/TRAF2 complex formation, with activation of JNK1/2 and p38 MAPK. Based on these results, we also provide the molecular evidence supporting the ischemia-reperfusion-related neuronal injury.

Osteoblastic differentiation of Wharton jelly biopsy specimens and their mesenchymal stromal cells after serum-free culture

BACKGROUND

Cleft lip and cleft palate are increasingly being detected by prenatal ultrasound, which raises the opportunity of using the patient's own osteogenicity from umbilical cord mesenchymal cells for bony repair. The authors address the growth of the cells under a fully defined and regulated protocol.

METHODS

Wharton jelly-derived mesenchymal stromal cells were isolated and expanded as a monolayer with defined serum-free medium. Osteoblastic differentiation was tested in the cells and in the entire Wharton jelly biopsy specimens. The serum-free-cultured cells were included in hydroxyapatite granule-fibrin constructs and, without predifferentiation, subcutaneously implanted into immunoincompetent mice.

RESULTS

Isolation and expansion of Wharton jelly-derived mesenchymal stromal cells were consistently successful under serum-free conditions, and the cells expressed standard mesenchymal stromal cell markers. The serum-free-cultivated cells produced a mineralized extracellular matrix under osteogenic differentiation, with a significant increase of osteoblastic lineage gene expression (Hox-A10 and Runx2) and an up-regulation of downstream osteogenic genes (OSX, OCN, ALPL, and BSP2). In vivo, they formed a dense matrix adjacent to the granules after 8 weeks, but no lamellar bone. serum-free-cultivated entire Wharton jelly biopsy specimens produced a mineralized extracellular matrix within the collagen matrix of the Wharton jelly.

CONCLUSIONS

The osteogenic differentiation potential of Wharton jelly-derived mesenchymal stromal cells was maintained under serum-free isolation and expansion techniques. The cells without predifferentiation form a dense collagen matrix but not bone in vivo. Moreover, entire Wharton jelly biopsy specimens showed periosteal-like mineralization under osteogenic differentiation, which offers new options for autologous bone tissue engineering, including cleft palate surgery.

Mass spectrometry analysis of gingival crevicular fluid in the presence of external root resorption

INTRODUCTION

In this study, we used liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) to investigate the differences in the composition of gingival crevicular fluid between resorbing deciduous molars and nonresorbing permanent teeth. The main goal was to identify novel biomarkers associated with root resorption.

METHODS

Eleven children (4 boys, 7 girls) in the mixed dentition were selected to participate in this split-mouth design study, in which a deciduous second molar with radiographic evidence of root resorption served as the experimental site, and the permanent first molar on the contralateral quadrant was the control site. Gingival crevicular fluid was collected using absorbing strips. A total of 22 samples (11 root resorption, 11 control) were each analyzed with 1-dimensional LC-MS. The remaining samples were then pooled across the 11 patients and analyzed by 2-dimensional LC-MS. The output files were converted to mascot generic format, which can be used to perform protein identification with conventional search engines.

RESULTS

The 2-dimensional LC-MS protocol was able to identify 2789 and 2421 proteins in the control and resorption pooled samples, respectively. In this population, we detected significantly upregulated and downregulated proteins in the teeth with root resorption. Interestingly, many of these proteins are characteristically found in exosomes.

CONCLUSIONS

We identified novel proteins that might prove to be useful biomarkers of root resorption, individually or as part of a panel.

Isolation method and xeno-free culture conditions influence multipotent differentiation capacity of human Wharton's jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells

Introduction

Human Wharton’s jelly (WJ) has become a preferred source of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) whose clinical applications are limited by the use of adequate xeno-free (XF), in vitro manipulation conditions. Therefore, the objective of our study was to characterize WJ-derived MSCs (WJ-MSCs), isolated by different methods and cultured in a commercially available, MSC XF medium, not least of all by investigating their endothelial differentiation capacity.

Methods

WJ explants and enzymatically dissociated WJ cells were cultured in a defined, XF medium for MSCs. Adherent cells at passages 2 and 5 were characterized as MSCs by flow cytometry, MTT, real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR, and functional multipotent differentiation assays. The endothelial differentiation capacity of MSCs isolated and expanded until passage 2 in the MSC XF medium, and then subcultured for five passages in a commercially available endothelial growth medium (group A), was assessed over serial passages, as compared to adherent WJ-derived cells isolated and expanded for five consecutive passages in the endothelial medium (group B).

Results

The MSC phenotype of WJ explant- and pellet-derived cells, isolated and expanded in the MSC XF medium, was proven based on the expression of CD44/CD73/CD90/CD105 surface markers and osteo-/adipo-/chondrogenic multipotent differentiation potential, which differed according to the isolation method and/or passage number. Upon exposure to endothelial differentiation cues, cells belonging to group A did not exhibit endothelial cell characteristics over serial passages; by contrast, WJ pellet-derived cells belonging to group B expressed endothelial characteristics at gene, protein and functional levels, potentially due to culture conditions favoring the isolation of other stem/progenitor cell types than MSCs, able to give rise to an endothelial progeny.

Conclusions

The use of defined, MSC XF media for isolation and expansion of human WJ-MSCs is a prerequisite for the establishment of their real endothelial differentiation capacity, as candidates for clinical therapy applications. Thus, the standardization of WJ-MSCs isolation and culture expansion techniques in defined, MSC XF media, for their accurate characterization, would be a priority in the stem cell research field.

Unveiling the effects of the secretome of mesenchymal progenitors from the umbilical cord in different neuronal cell populations

It has been previously shown that the secretome of Human Umbilical Cord Perivascular Cells (HUCPVCs), known for their mesenchymal like stem cell character, is able to increase the metabolic viability and hippocampal neuronal cell densities. However, due to the different micro-environments of the distinct brain regions it is important to study if neurons isolated from different areas have similar, or opposite, reactions when in the presence of HUCPVCs secretome (in the form of conditioned media-CM). In this work we: 1) studied how cortical and cerebellar neuronal primary cultures behaved when incubated with HUCPVCs CM and 2) characterized the differences between CM collected at two different conditioning time points. Primary cultures of cerebellar and cortical neurons were incubated with HUCPVCs CM (obtained 24 and 96 h after three days of culturing). HUCPVCs CM had a higher impact on the metabolic viability and proliferation of cortical cultures, than the cerebellar ones. Regarding neuronal cell densities it was observed that with 24 h CM condition there were higher number MAP-2 positive cells, a marker for fully differentiated neurons; this was, once again, more evident in cortical cultures. In an attempt to characterize the differences between the two conditioning time points a proteomics approach was followed, based on 2D Gel analysis followed by the identification of selected spots by tandem mass spectrometry. Results revealed important differences in proteins that have been previously related with phenomena such as neurl cell viability, proliferation and differentiation, namely 14-3-3, UCHL1, hsp70 and peroxiredoxin-6. In summary, we demonstrated differences on how neurons isolated from different brain regions react to HUCPVCs secretome and we have identified different proteins (14-3-3 and hsp70) in HUCPVCs CM that may explain the above-referred results.

Inflammation and Toll-like receptor ligation differentially affect the osteogenic potential of human mesenchymal stromal cells depending on their tissue origin

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) can be isolated not only from bone marrow (BM) but also from other tissues, including adipose tissue (AT) and umbilical cord Wharton's Jelly (WJ). Thanks to their ability to differentiate into various cell types, MSC are considered attractive candidates for cell-based regenerative therapy. In degenerative clinical settings, inflammation or infection is often involved. In the present work, we hypothesized that an inflammatory environment and/or Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligation could affect the MSC differentiation potential. MSC were isolated from BM, AT, and WJ. Inflammation was mimicked by a cytokine cocktail, and TLR activation was induced through TLR3 and TLR4 ligation. Osteogenesis was chosen as a model for differentiation. Osteogenic parameters were evaluated by measuring Ca2+ deposits and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity at day 7, 14, and 21 of the culture in an osteogenic medium. Our results show that WJ-MSC exhibit a much lower osteogenic potential than the other two MSC types. However, inflammation was able to strongly increase the osteogenic differentiation of WJ-MSC as calcification, and ALP activity appeared as early as day 7. However, this latter enzymatic activity remained much lower than that disclosed by BM-MSC. TLR3 or TLR4 triggering increased the osteogenesis in AT- and, to lesser extent, in BM-MSC. In conclusion, WJ-MSC constitutively disclose a lower osteogenic potential as compared with BM and AT-MSC, which is not affected by TLR triggering but is strongly increased by inflammation, then reaching the level of BM-MSC. These observations suggest that WJ-MSC could constitute an alternative of BM-MSC for bone regenerative applications, as WJ is an easy access source of large amounts of MSC that can effectively differentiate into osteoblasts in an inflammatory setting.

Baicalein inhibits the migration and invasive properties of human hepatoma cells

Flavonoids have been demonstrated to exert health benefits in humans. We investigated whether the flavonoid baicalein would inhibit the adhesion, migration, invasion, and growth of human hepatoma cell lines, and we also investigated its mechanism of action. The separate effects of baicalein and baicalin on the viability of HA22T/VGH and SK-Hep1 cells were investigated for 24h. To evaluate their invasive properties, cells were incubated on matrigel-coated transwell membranes in the presence or absence of baicalein. We examined the effect of baicalein on the adhesion of cells, on the activation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), protein kinase C (PKC), and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and on tumor growth in vivo. We observed that baicalein suppresses hepatoma cell growth by 55%, baicalein-treated cells showed lower levels of migration than untreated cells, and cell invasion was significantly reduced to 28%. Incubation of hepatoma cells with baicalein also significantly inhibited cell adhesion to matrigel, collagen I, and gelatin-coated substrate. Baicalein also decreased the gelatinolytic activities of the matrix metalloproteinases MMP-2, MMP-9, and uPA, decreased p50 and p65 nuclear translocation, and decreased phosphorylated I-kappa-B (IKB)-β. In addition, baicalein reduced the phosphorylation levels of PKCα and p38 proteins, which regulate invasion in poorly differentiated hepatoma cells. Finally, when SK-Hep1 cells were grown as xenografts in nude mice, intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of baicalein induced a significant dose-dependent decrease in tumor growth. These results demonstrate the anticancer properties of baicalein, which include the inhibition of adhesion, invasion, migration, and proliferation of human hepatoma cells in vivo.