Role of hepatocyte growth factor in the immunomodulation potential of amniotic fluid stem cells

Growth Factors and Their Application in the Therapy of Hereditary Neurodegenerative Diseases

Hereditary neurodegenerative diseases (hNDDs) such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's disease, and others are primarily characterized by their progressive nature, severely compromising both the cognitive and motor abilities of patients. The underlying genetic component in hNDDs contributes to disease risk, creating a complex genetic landscape. Considering the fact that growth factors play crucial roles in regulating cellular processes, such as proliferation, differentiation, and survival, they could have therapeutic potential for hNDDs, provided appropriate dosing and safe delivery approaches are ensured. This article presents a detailed overview of growth factors, and explores their therapeutic potential in treating hNDDs, emphasizing their roles in neuronal survival, growth, and synaptic plasticity. However, challenges such as proper dosing, delivery methods, and patient variability can hinder their clinical application.

Amphiregulin orchestrates the paracrine immune-suppressive function of amniotic-derived cells through its interplay with COX-2/PGE2/EP4 axis

The paracrine crosstalk between amniotic-derived membranes (AMs)/epithelial cells (AECs) and immune cells is pivotal in tissue healing following inflammation. Despite evidence collected to date, gaps in understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms have hindered clinical applications. The present study represents a significant step forward demonstrating that amphiregulin (AREG) orchestrates the native immunomodulatory functions of amniotic derivatives via the COX-2/PGE2/EP4 axis. The results highlight the immunosuppressive efficacy of PGE2-dependent AREG release, dampening PBMCs' activation, and NFAT pathway in Jurkat reporter cells via TGF-β signaling. Moreover, AREG emerges as a key protein mediator by attenuating acute inflammatory response in Tg(lysC:DsRed2) zebrafish larvae. Notably, the interplay of diverse COX-2/PGE2 pathway activators enables AM/AEC to adapt rapidly to external stimuli (LPS and/or stretching) through a responsive positive feedback loop on the AREG/EGFR axis. These findings offer valuable insights for developing innovative cell-free therapies leveraging the potential of amniotic derivatives in immune-mediated diseases and regenerative medicine.

Body fluid-derived stem cells - an untapped stem cell source in genitourinary regeneration

Somatic stem cells have been obtained from solid organs and tissues, including the bone marrow, placenta, corneal stroma, periosteum, adipose tissue, dental pulp and skeletal muscle. These solid tissue-derived stem cells are often used for tissue repair, disease modelling and new drug development. In the past two decades, stem cells have also been identified in various body fluids, including urine, peripheral blood, umbilical cord blood, amniotic fluid, synovial fluid, breastmilk and menstrual blood. These body fluid-derived stem cells (BFSCs) have stemness properties comparable to those of other adult stem cells and, similarly to tissue-derived stem cells, show cell surface markers, multi-differentiation potential and immunomodulatory effects. However, BFSCs are more easily accessible through non-invasive or minimally invasive approaches than solid tissue-derived stem cells and can be isolated without enzymatic tissue digestion. Additionally, BFSCs have shown good versatility in repairing genitourinary abnormalities in preclinical models through direct differentiation or paracrine mechanisms such as pro-angiogenic, anti-apoptotic, antifibrotic, anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. However, optimization of protocols is needed to improve the efficacy and safety of BFSC therapy before therapeutic translation.

Stem cell therapy in the treatment of organic and dysfunctional endometrial pathology

BACKGROUND

Intrauterine adhesions caused by postpartum curettage, spontaneous abortions, interrupted pregnancies, endometrial ablations, infections and inflammations, can lead to a loss of endometrial function, with consequent hypomenorrhea and infertility in women of reproductive age. In a non-negligible percentage of cases, the available surgical methods and hormone therapy, with sequential administration of estrogen and progesterone, are ineffective. In fact, severe damage to the basal layer of the endometrium causes the loss of endometrial cell precursors and leads to the failure of regeneration of the functional layer to which the endometrium is cyclically exposed. Today, many researchers are evaluating the use of stem cells of different origins as a potential therapy to restore endometrial function.

METHODS

Our interest has been focused on adipose-derived stromal/stem cells (ADSCs) obtained by collecting subcutaneous adipose tissue and subsequently treating it with the MilliGraft^® method. This procedure produces a cell suspension, the stromal vascular fraction (SVF), which includes ADSCs and soluble factors such as proteins and extracellular vesicles (exosomes). The SVF thus obtained was characterized in its cellular composition and its functional factors. Our clinical protocol for the future use of adipose tissue in endometrial regeneration in its different phases is presented.

RESULTS

The data obtained, even though they still require further support and implementation, show the regenerative properties of SVF obtained from adipose tissue using a mechanical method.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings can contribute to the development of cell therapies using stem cells of different derivations which are increasingly being utilized in the treatment of endometrial lesions from adherent or dysfunctional pathologies.

Perinatal Stem Cell Therapy to Treat Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: A Never-Say-Die Story of Differentiation and Immunomodulation

Human term placenta and other postpartum-derived biological tissues are promising sources of perinatal cells with unique stem cell properties. Among the massive current research on stem cells, one medical focus on easily available stem cells is to exploit them in the design of immunotherapy protocols, in particular for the treatment of chronic non-curable human diseases. Type 1 diabetes is characterized by autoimmune destruction of pancreatic beta cells and perinatal cells can be harnessed both to generate insulin-producing cells for beta cell replenishment and to regulate autoimmune mechanisms via immunomodulation capacity. In this study, the strong points of cells derived from amniotic epithelial cells and from umbilical cord matrix are outlined and their potential for supporting cell therapy development. From a basic research and expert stem cell point of view, the aim of this review is to summarize information regarding the regenerative medicine field, as well as describe the state of the art on possible cell therapy approaches for diabetes.

Proline-based solution maintains cell viability and stemness of canine adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells after hypothermic storage

Transportation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) under hypothermic conditions in 0.9% normal saline solution (NSS) might increase cell death and alter the stemness of MSCs. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of proline-based solution (PL-BS) on cell viability and the stemness of newly established canine adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (cAD-MSCs) under hypothermic conditions. Characterized cAD-MSCs were stored in 1, 10, and 100 mM PL-BS or NSS at 4°C for 6, 9, and 12 hours prior to an evaluation. The results demonstrated that storage in 1 mM PL-BS for 6 hours decreased cell apoptosis and proliferation ability, but improved cell viability and mitochondrial membrane potential. cAD-MSCs maintained their high expression of CD44 and CD90, but had a low expression of CD34 and MHC class II. Trilineage differentiation ability of cAD-MSCs was not affected by storage in 1 mM PL-BS. Gene expression analysis demonstrated that immunomodulatory genes, including IDO, HGF, PGE-2, and IL-6, were upregulated in cAD-MSCs stored in 1 mM PL-BS. In conclusion, PL-BS can be effectively applied for storing cAD-MSCs under hypothermic conditions. These findings provide a new solution for effective handling of cAD-MSCs which might be promising for clinical applications.

A novel long-term intravenous combined with local treatment with human amnion-derived mesenchymal stem cells for a multidisciplinary rescued uremic calciphylaxis patient and the underlying mechanism

Calciphylaxis is a rare disease characterized histologically by microvessel calcification and microthrombosis, with high mortality and no proven therapy. Here, we reported a severe uremic calciphylaxis patient with progressive skin ischemia, large areas of painful malodorous ulcers, and mummified legs. Because of the worsening symptoms and signs refractory to conventional therapies, treatment with human amnion-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hAMSCs) was approved. Pre-clinical release inspections of hAMSCs, efficacy, and safety assessment including cytokine secretory ability, immunocompetence, tumorigenicity, and genetics analysis in vitro were introduced. We further performed acute and long-term hAMSC toxicity evaluations in C57BL/6 mice and rats, abnormal immune response tests in C57BL/6 mice, and tumorigenicity tests in neonatal Balbc-nu nude mice. After the pre-clinical research, the patient was treated with hAMSCs by intravenous and local intramuscular injection and external supernatant application to the ulcers. When followed up to 15 months, the blood-based markers of bone and mineral metabolism improved, with skin soft tissue regeneration and a more favorable profile of peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Skin biopsy after 1-month treatment showed vascular regeneration with mature non-calcified vessels within the dermis, and 20 months later, the re-epithelialization restored the integrity of the damaged site. No infusion or local treatment-related adverse events occurred. Thus, this novel long-term intravenous combined with local treatment with hAMSCs warrants further investigation as a potential regenerative treatment for uremic calciphylaxis with effects of inhibiting vascular calcification, stimulating angiogenesis and myogenesis, anti-inflammatory and immune modulation, multi-differentiation, re-epithelialization, and restoration of integrity.

Comprehensive Profiling of Secretome Formulations from Fetal- and Perinatal Human Amniotic Fluid Stem Cells

We previously reported that c-KIT+ human amniotic-fluid derived stem cells obtained from leftover samples of routine II trimester prenatal diagnosis (fetal hAFS) are endowed with regenerative paracrine potential driving pro-survival, anti-fibrotic and proliferative effects. hAFS may also be isolated from III trimester clinical waste samples during scheduled C-sections (perinatal hAFS), thus offering a more easily accessible alternative when compared to fetal hAFS. Nonetheless, little is known about the paracrine profile of perinatal hAFS. Here we provide a detailed characterization of the hAFS total secretome (i.e., the entirety of soluble paracrine factors released by cells in the conditioned medium, hAFS-CM) and the extracellular vesicles (hAFS-EVs) within it, from II trimester fetal- versus III trimester perinatal cells. Fetal- and perinatal hAFS were characterized and subject to hypoxic preconditioning to enhance their paracrine potential. hAFS-CM and hAFS-EV formulations were analyzed for protein and chemokine/cytokine content, and the EV cargo was further investigated by RNA sequencing. The phenotype of fetal- and perinatal hAFS, along with their corresponding secretome formulations, overlapped; yet, fetal hAFS showed immature oxidative phosphorylation activity when compared to perinatal ones. The profiling of their paracrine cargo revealed some differences according to gestational stage and hypoxic preconditioning. Both cell sources provided formulations enriched with neurotrophic, immunomodulatory, anti-fibrotic and endothelial stimulating factors, and the immature fetal hAFS secretome was defined by a more pronounced pro-vasculogenic, regenerative, pro-resolving and anti-aging profile. Small RNA profiling showed microRNA enrichment in both fetal- and perinatal hAFS-EV cargo, with a stably- expressed pro-resolving core as a reference molecular signature. Here we confirm that hAFS represents an appealing source of regenerative paracrine factors; the selection of either fetal or perinatal hAFS secretome formulations for future paracrine therapy should be evaluated considering the specific clinical scenario.

Unravelling Heterogeneity of Amplified Human Amniotic Fluid Stem Cells Sub-Populations

Human amniotic fluid stem cells (hAFSCs) are broadly multipotent immature progenitor cells with high self-renewal and no tumorigenic properties. These cells, even amplified, present very variable morphology, density, intracellular composition and stemness potential, and this heterogeneity can hinder their characterization and potential use in regenerative medicine. Celector^® (Stem Sel ltd.) is a new technology that exploits the Non-Equilibrium Earth Gravity Assisted Field Flow Fractionation principles to characterize and label-free sort stem cells based on their solely physical characteristics without any manipulation. Viable cells are collected and used for further studies or direct applications. In order to understand the intrapopulation heterogeneity, various fractions of hAFSCs were isolated using the Celector^® profile and live imaging feature. The gene expression profile of each fraction was analysed using whole-transcriptome sequencing (RNAseq). Gene Set Enrichment Analysis identified significant differential expression in pathways related to Stemness, DNA repair, E2F targets, G2M checkpoint, hypoxia, EM transition, mTORC1 signalling, Unfold Protein Response and p53 signalling. These differences were validated by RT-PCR, immunofluorescence and differentiation assays. Interestingly, the different fractions showed distinct and unique stemness properties. These results suggest the existence of deep intra-population differences that can influence the stemness profile of hAFSCs. This study represents a proof-of-concept of the importance of selecting certain cellular fractions with the highest potential to use in regenerative medicine.

Oxidative Stress in Alzheimer's Disease: In Vitro Therapeutic Effect of Amniotic Fluid Stem Cells Extracellular Vesicles

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by abnormal protein aggregation, deposition of extracellular β-amyloid proteins (Aβ), besides an increase of oxidative stress. Amniotic fluid stem cells (AFSCs) should have a therapeutic potential for neurodegenerative disorders, mainly through a paracrine effect mediated by extracellular vesicles (EV). Here, we examined the effect of EV derived from human AFSCs (AFSC-EV) on the disease phenotypes in an AD neuron primary culture. We observed a positive effect of AFSC-EV on neuron morphology, viability, and Aβ and phospho-Tau levels. This could be due to the apoptotic and autophagic pathway modulation derived from the decrease in oxidative stress. Indeed, reactive oxygen species (ROS) were reduced, while GSH levels were enhanced. This modulation could be ascribed to the presence of ROS regulating enzymes, such as SOD1 present into the AFSC-EV themselves. This study describes the ROS-modulating effects of extracellular vesicles alone, apart from their deriving stem cell, in an AD in vitro model, proposing AFSC-EV as a therapeutic tool to stop the progression of AD.

Comparison of the therapeutic effect of amniotic fluid stem cells and their exosomes on monoiodoacetate-induced animal model of osteoarthritis

The cartilage tissue engineering associated with stem cell-related therapies is becoming very interesting since adult articular cartilage has limited intrinsic capacity for regeneration upon injury. Amniotic fluid stem cells (AFSC) have been shown to produce exosomes with growth factors and immunomodulating molecules that could stop tissue degradation and induce cartilage repair. Based on this state of the art, the main aim of this study was to explore the efficacy of the secreted exosomes, compared to their AFSC source, in MIA-induced animal model of osteoarthritis mimicking a chronic and degenerative process, where inflammation is also involved and lead to irreversible joint damage. Exosomes, obtained by the use of a commercial kit, prior to the injection in animal knee joints, were characterized for the presence of typical markers and HGF, TGFβ, and IDO. Then, analyses were performed by histology, immunohistochemistry, and behavioral scoring up to 3 weeks after the treatment. Exosome-treated defects showed enhanced pain tolerance level and improved histological scores than the AFSC-treated defects. Indeed by 3 weeks, TGFβ-rich exosome samples induced an almost complete restoration of cartilage with good surface regularity and with the characteristic of hyaline cartilage. Moreover, cells positive for resolving macrophage marker were more easily detectable into exosome-treated joints. Therefore, a modulating role for exosomes on macrophage polarization is conceivable, as demonstrated also by experiments performed on THP1 macrophages. In conclusion, this study demonstrates for the first time the efficacy of human AFSC exosomes in counteract cartilage damage, showing a positive correlation with their TGFβ content.

Placental Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Promote Myelin Regeneration in an Animal Model of Multiple Sclerosis

Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) display potent immunomodulatory and regenerative capabilities through the secretion of bioactive factors, such as proteins, cytokines, chemokines as well as the release of extracellular vesicles (EVs). These functional properties of MSCs make them ideal candidates for the treatment of degenerative and inflammatory diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS). MS is a heterogenous disease that is typically characterized by inflammation, demyelination, gliosis and axonal loss. In the current study, an induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) murine model of MS was utilized. At peak disease onset, animals were treated with saline, placenta-derived MSCs (PMSCs), as well as low and high doses of PMSC-EVs. Animals treated with PMSCs and high-dose PMSC-EVs displayed improved motor function outcomes as compared to animals treated with saline. Symptom improvement by PMSCs and PMSC-EVs led to reduced DNA damage in oligodendroglia populations and increased myelination within the spinal cord of treated mice. In vitro data demonstrate that PMSC-EVs promote myelin regeneration by inducing endogenous oligodendrocyte precursor cells to differentiate into mature myelinating oligodendrocytes. These findings support that PMSCs’ mechanism of action is mediated by the secretion of EVs. Therefore, PMSC-derived EVs are a feasible alternative to cellular based therapies for MS, as demonstrated in an animal model of the disease.

Amniotic fluid stem cell exosomes: Therapeutic perspective

It is widely accepted that the therapeutic potential of stem cells can be largely mediated by paracrine factors, also included into exosomes. Thus, stem cell-derived exosomes represent a major therapeutic option in regenerative medicine avoiding, if compared to stem cells graft, abnormal differentiation and tumor formation. Exosomes derived from mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) induce damaged tissue repair, and can also exert immunomodulatory effects on the differentiation, activation and function of different lymphocytes. Therefore, MSC exosomes can be considered as a potential treatment for inflammatory diseases and also an ideal candidate for allogeneic therapy due to their low immunogenicity. Amniotic fluid stem cells (AFSCs) are broadly multipotent, can be expanded in culture, and can be easily cryopreserved in cellular banks. In this study, morphology, phenotype, and protein content of exosomes released into amniotic fluid in vivo and from AFSC during in vitro culture (conditioned medium) were examined. We found that AFSC-derived exosomes present different molecules than amniotic fluid ones, some of them involved in immunomodulation, such transforming growth factor beta and hepatic growth factors. The immunomodulatory effect of AFSC's exosomes on peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated with phytohemagglutinin was compared to that of the supernatant produced by such conditioned media deprived of exosomes. We present evidence that the principal effect of AFSC conditioned media (without exosomes) is the induction of apoptosis in lymphocytes, whereas exposure to AFSC-derived exosomes decreases the lymphocyte's proliferation, supporting the hypothesis that the entire secretome of stem cells differently affects immune-response. © 2017 BioFactors, 44(2):158-167, 2018.

NADPH oxidase-4 and MATER expressions in granulosa cells: Relationships with ovarian aging

AIMS

Relevant roles in follicular development and ovulation are played by maternal antigen that embryos require (MATER), product of a maternal effect gene, and by reactive oxygen species (ROS), indispensable for the induction of ovulatory genes. At the moment, the relationship between these two biological systems and their involvement in the ovarian aging have not been still clarified. The aim of the current experimental study was to analyse the age-related changes of the MATER and NOX proteins.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

MATER and ROS homeostasis was studied in granulosa cells (GCs) and cumulus cells (CCs) of infertile patients who undergone oocyte retrieval for in vitro fertilization cycles using Western blot and confocal immunofluorescence analysis. Samples were obtained from subjects with age≥40years (cases) and with age≤37years (controls).

KEY FINDINGS

The expression pattern of MATER and NOX observed in GCs was not different from that observed in CCs. High levels of both proteins were detected in the control samples. A significant lower expression of both MATER and NOX4 was observed in the case versus control samples.

SIGNIFICANCE

The expression of MATER and NOX4 proteins are closely related to the follicular development and ovulation with particular regard for ovarian aging.

Could stem cells be the future therapy for sepsis?

The severity and threat of sepsis is well known, and despite several decades of research, the mortality continues to be high. Stem cells have great potential to be used in various clinical disorders. The innate ability of stem cells such as pluripotency, self-renewal makes them potential agents for therapeutic intervention. The pathophysiology of sepsis is a plethora of complex mechanisms which include the initial microbial infection, followed by "cytokine storm," endothelial dysfunction, coagulation cascade, and the late phase of apoptosis and immune paralysis which ultimately results in multiple organ dysfunction. Stem cells could potentially alter each step of this complex pathophysiology of sepsis. Multiple organ dysfunction associated with sepsis most often leads to death and stem cells have shown their ability to prevent the organ damage and improve the organ function. The possible mechanisms of therapeutic potential of stem cells in sepsis have been discussed in detail. The route of administration, dose level, and timing also play vital role in the overall effect of stem cells in sepsis.