Rapid and Efficient Reprogramming of Human Fetal and Adult Blood CD34+ Cells into Mesenchymal Stem Cells with a Single Factor Investigators showed that human induced mesenchymal stem cells can be efficiently generated from cord blood- or adult peripheral blood-CD34+ cells by direct reprogramming with a single factor, OCT4. [Cell Res] Abstract Efficient MRI Labeling of Endothelial Progenitor Cells: Design of Thiolated Surface Stabilized Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Researchers aimed to design thiolated surface stabilized superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (TSS-SPIONs) for efficient internalization with high MRI sensitivity. Internalization of TSS-SPIONs into human endothelial progenitor cells from umbilical cord blood was more than threefold and 17-fold higher in contrast to unmodified chitosan hydrogel SPIONs and SPIONs, respectively. [Eur J Pharm Biopharm] Abstract Attenuation of Hind-Limb Ischemia in Mice with Endothelial-Like Cells Derived from Different Sources of Human Stem Cells The authors differentiated functional endothelial-like cells (EC) from human bone marrow mononuclear cells (BM-EC), human embryonic stem cells (hESC-EC) and human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC-EC), and compared their in vitro tube formation, migration and cytokine expression profiles, and in vivo capacity to attenuate hind-limb ischemia in mice. In vitro functional assay demonstrated that hiPSC-EC and hESC-EC had similar capacity for tube formation and migration as human umbilical cord endothelial cells and BM-EC. [PLoS One] Full Article Naïve Rat Umbilical Cord Matrix Stem Cells Significantly Attenuate Mammary Tumor Growth through Modulation of Endogenous Immune Responses Results suggest that naïve rat umbilical cord matrix stem cells (UCMSCs) attenuated mammary tumor growth at least in part by enhancing host anti-tumor immune responses. Naïve UCMSCs can be used as powerful therapeutic cells for breast cancer treatment, and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 may be a key molecule to enhance the effect of UCMSCs at the tumor site. [Cytotherapy] Abstract Neonatal Macrophages Express Elevated Levels of Interleukin-27 that Oppose Immune Responses Scientists showed that interleukin-27 gene expression is elevated in cord blood-derived macrophages relative to macrophages originating from healthy adults. [Immunology] Abstract Int6/eIF3e Silenced HIF2α Stabilization Enhances Migration and Tube Formation of HUVECs via Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-8 Signaling Investigators used HIF2α normoxic up-regulation via Int6 silencing to investigate the role of HIF2α in endothelial cells. As a result, Int6 silencing in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and in human aortic endothelial cells led to robust enhanced cord formation and the medium supernatant of Int6 silenced HUVECs enhanced migration of untreated HUVECs, indicating a HIF2α triggered secretory signaling. [Cytokine] Abstract Mutation of the NPM1 Gene Contributes to the Development of Donor Cell-Derived Acute Myeloid Leukemia after Unrelated Cord Blood Transplantation for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia The authors report a new case of donor cell leukemia (DCL) after unrelated cord blood transplantation in a 44-year-old woman diagnosed as having acute lymphoblastic leukemia with t(1;19) that developed acute myeloid leukemia with normal karyotype and nucleophosmin (NPM1) mutation in donor cells. To their knowledge, this is the first report of NPM1 mutation contributing to DCL development. [Hum Pathol] Abstract Osteogenic Potential of Human Umbilical Cord-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Cultured with Umbilical Cord Blood-Derived Fibrin: A Preliminary Study Researchers examined the potential for osteogenesis via regenerative medicine using autologous tissues (umbilical cord and umbilical cord blood) in nude mice. [J Craniomaxillofac Surg] Abstract |