Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells: current and future applications in the urinary bladder

Mechanism of Mesenchymal Stem Cells as a Multitarget Disease- Modifying Therapy for Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorders, affecting the basal nuclei, causing impairment of motor and cognitive functions. Loss of dopaminergic (DAergic) neurons or their degeneration and the aggregation of Lewy bodies is the hallmark of this disease. The medications used to treat PD relieve the symptoms and maintain quality of life, but currently, there is no cure. There is a need for the development of therapies that can cease or perhaps reverse neurodegeneration effectively. With the rapid advancements in cell replacement therapy techniques, medical professionals are trying to find a cure by which restoration of dopamine neurotransmitters can occur. Researchers have started focusing on cell-based therapies using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) due to their abundance in the body, the ability of proliferation, and immunomodulation. Here we review the MSC-based treatment in Parkinson's disease and the various mechanisms it repairs DAergic neurons in parkinsonian patients.

The Potentiality of Human Umbilical Cord Isolated Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells for Cardiomyocyte Generation

Background

The new therapeutic strategy of managing cardiac diseases is based on cell therapy; it highly suggests the use of multipotent mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs). MSCs widely used in researches are known to be isolated from bone marrow. However, this research seeks to use a human umbilical cord (HUC) as an alternative source of MSCs. Since HUC Wharton's jelly (WJ)-isolated MSCs originate as fetal tissue they are highly preferable for their potential advantages over other adult tissues.

Methods

The researchers used enzymatic digestion to establish a primary HUC-WJ-isolated MSC line. Then, flow cytometry was used to characterize MSCs and hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) markers' expression. In addition, the cardiac differentiation capacity of HUC-WJ-isolated MSCs in vitro was investigated by two protocols. Protocol-1 necessitates the dependence on merely 5-azacytidine (5-Aza), whereas in protocol-2, 5-Aza was supported by basic fibroblast growth factor (BFGF). The comparative study between the two protocols was applied by inspecting the ultrastructure of differentiated cells, measuring RT-PCR mRNA cardiac markers and the quantitative detection of cardiac proteins.

Results

HUC-WJ isolated MSCs were expressed by CD90^+ve, CD105^+ve, CD106^+ve, CD45^-ve, and CD146^-ve. Remarkable TNNT1, NKX2.5, and Desmin mRNA expression and higher quantitative LDH and cTnI were detected by applying protocol-2. This same protocol-2 induced cardiac morphological features that were revealed by identifying cardiomyocyte-like cells and typical sarcomeres.

Conclusion

HUC-WJ is proved to be an ethical and effective source of MSCs induced cardiac differentiation, whereas BFGF supports 5-Aza in MSCs-cardiomyocytes differentiation.

Recent advances in ureteral tissue engineering

Reconstruction of long ureteral defects often warrants the use of graft tissue and extensive surgical procedures to maintain the safe transport of urine from the kidneys to the urinary bladder. Complication risks, graft failure-related morbidity, and the lack of suitable tissue are major concerns. Tissue engineering might offer an alternative treatment approach in these cases, but ureteral tissue engineering is still an underreported topic in current literature. In this review, the most recent published data regarding ureteral tissue engineering are presented and evaluated, with a focus on cell sources, implantation strategies, and (bio)materials.

Urine-derived stem cells for potential use in bladder repair

Engineered bladder tissues, created with autologous bladder cells seeded on biodegradable scaffolds, are being developed for use in patients who need cystoplasty. However, in individuals with organ damage from congenital disorders, infection, irradiation, or cancer, abnormal cells obtained by biopsy from the compromised tissue could potentially contaminate the engineered tissue. Thus, an alternative cell source for construction of the neo-organ would be useful. Although other types of stem cells have been investigated, autologous mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are most suitable to use in bladder regeneration. These cells are often used as a cell source for bladder repair in three ways - secreting paracrine factors, recruiting resident cells, and trans-differentiation, inducing MSCs to differentiate into bladder smooth muscle cells and urothelial cells. Adult stem cell populations have been demonstrated in bone marrow, fat, muscle, hair follicles, and amniotic fluid. These cells remain an area of intense study, as their potential for therapy may be applicable to bladder disorders. Recently, we have found stem cells in the urine and the cells are highly expandable, and have self-renewal capacity and paracrine properties. As a novel cell source, urine-derived stem cells (USCs) provide advantages for cell therapy and tissue engineering applications in bladder tissue repair because they originate from the urinary tract system. Importantly, USCs can be obtained via a noninvasive, simple, and low-cost approach and induced with high efficiency to differentiate into bladder cells.

Regenerative medicine based applications to combat stress urinary incontinence

Stress urinary incontinence (SUI), as an isolated symptom, is not a life threatening condition. However, the fear of unexpected urine leakage contributes to a significant decline in quality of life parameters for afflicted patients. Compared to other forms of incontinence, SUI cannot be easily treated with pharmacotherapy since it is inherently an anatomic problem. Treatment options include the use of bio-injectable materials to enhance closing pressures, and the placement of slings to bolster fascial support to the urethra. However, histologic findings of degeneration in the incontinent urethral sphincter invite the use of tissues engineering strategies to regenerate structures that aid in promoting continence. In this review, we will assess the role of stem cells in restoring multiple anatomic and physiological aspects of the sphincter. In particular, mesenchymal stem cells and CD34⁺ cells have shown great promise to differentiate into muscular and vascular components, respectively. Evidence supporting the use of cytokines and growth factors such as hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha, vascular endothelial growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor, hepatocyte growth factor and insulin-like growth factor further enhance the viability and direction of differentiation. Bridging the benefits of stem cells and growth factors involves the use of synthetic scaffolds like poly (1,8-octanediol-co-citrate) (POC) thin films. POC scaffolds are synthetic, elastomeric polymers that serve as substrates for cell growth, and upon degradation, release growth factors to the microenvironment in a controlled, predictable fashion. The combination of cellular, cytokine and scaffold elements aims to address the pathologic deficits to urinary incontinence, with a goal to improve patient symptoms and overall quality of life.