Mesenchymal Cell News Volume 11.26 | July 9 2019

TOP STORY

Adult Stem Cell Deficits Drive Slc29a3 Disorders in Mice

Researchers identified adult stem cell deficits that drove equilibrative nucleoside transporter 3 (ENT3)-related abnormalities in mice. ENT3 deficiency altered hematopoietic and MSCs fates; the former led to stem cell exhaustion, and the latter led to breaches of mesodermal tissue integrity. [Nat Commun] Full Article

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

IN VITRO

Overexpression of Nanog in Amniotic Fluid-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Accelerates Dermal Papilla Cell Activity and Promotes Hair Follicle Regeneration

The authors examined the in vitro proliferation and lifespan of amniotic fluid (AF) derived-MSCs overexpressing reprogramming factors, including Oct4, Nanog, and Lin28, alone or in combination. Among these factors, Nanog was identified as a key factor in maintaining the self-renewal capability of AF-MSCs by delaying cellular senescence, increasing the endogenous expression of Oct4 and Sox2, and preserving stemness. [Exp Mol Med] Full Article

Differentiation of Single Lymphoma Primary Cells and Normal B-Cells Based on Their Adhesion to Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in Optical Tweezers

A single B-cell was trapped and optically seeded on a mesenchymal stromal cell and kept in a direct contact with it until a stable connection between the cells was formed in time scale. This approach allowed the authors to avoid the introduction of any exogenous beads or chemicals into the experimental setup which would have affected the cell-to-cell adhesion. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Gene Expression and Functional Comparison between Multipotential Stromal Cells from Lateral and Medial Condyles of Knee Osteoarthritis Patients

Researchers utilized in vitro functional assays, cell sorting, gene expression and immunohistochemistry to compare MSCs from medial and lateral osteoarthritis femoral condyles. Despite greater cartilage loss and bone sclerosis in medial condyles, there was no significant differences in MSC numbers, growth rates or surface phenotype. [Sci Rep] Full Article

5′-Hydroxy Auraptene Stimulates Osteoblast Differentiation of Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells via a BMP-Dependent Mechanism

The effect of 5′-Hydroxy Auraptene on bone marrow-derived MSCs’ cell proliferation and osteoblast differentiation was assessed by measuring cell viability, quantitative alkaline phosphatase activity assay, Alizarin red staining for matrix mineralization and osteogenic gene array expression. Adipogenesis was measured by Oil Red O staining and quantitative real time PCR analysis of adipogenic markers. [J Biomed Sci] Full Article

IN VIVO

Schwann Cell Precursors Contribute to Skeletal Formation during Embryonic Development in Mice and Zebrafish

Genetic lineage tracing revealed that, during murine embryonic development, some Schwann cell precursors detached from nerve fibers to become mesenchymal cells, which differentiated further into chondrocytes and mature osteocytes. This occurred only during embryonic development, producing numerous craniofacial and trunk skeletal elements, without contributing to development of the appendicular skeleton. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract

Mesenchymal Stem Cells Prevent the Progression of Diabetic Nephropathy by Improving Mitochondrial Function in Tubular Epithelial Cells

Investigators found that the repeated administration of MSCs prevented albuminuria and injury to tubular epithelial cells, an important element in the progression of diabetic nephropathy, by improving mitochondrial function. The expression of M1 macrophage markers was significantly increased in diabetic kidneys compared with that in control kidneys. [Exp Mol Med] Full Article

Human Nail Bed-Derived Decellularized Scaffold Regulates Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Nail Plate Regeneration

Using decellularized nail bed scaffolds combined with bone MSCs, it was revealed that the engineered nail bed could promote nude mouse nail plate regeneration ectopically. The natural extracellular matrix of decellularized nail bed scaffolds could serve as a 3D structural template for bone MSC differentiation into nail-associated cells, initiating the nail plate regeneration. [J Tissue Eng Regen Med] Abstract

B Lymphocytes Are the Target of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Immunoregulatory Effect in a Murine Graft-versus-Host Disease Model

Working in an major histocompatibility complexes fully mismatched murine acute graft-versus-host disease model, researchers found that MSC co-transfer significantly prolonged the survival time of the recipients. Analysis on immunophenotypic profiles of posttransplant splenocytes showed that surface expression of CD69 and CD86 was suppressed predominantly on donor derived B lymphocytes by MSC infusion. [Cell Transplant] Full Article

Regulation of Autophagy in Mesenchymal Stem Cells Modulates Therapeutic Effects on Spinal Cord Injury

Autophagy was inhibited in MSCs with lentiviruses expressing short hairpin RNA to knock down Becn-1 expression, and autophagy was upregulated in MSCs under nutrient starvation. These MSCs were then labeled with Hoechst and applied to spinal cord-injured rats to evaluate their therapeutic effects. [Brain Res] Abstract

miRNA-181a Over-Expression in Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Exosomes Influenced Inflammatory Response after Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

MSC-derived exosomes carrying miRNA-181a-overexpressing lentiviruses were intramyocardially injected into a mouse model of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. I/R progression was evaluated through echocardiography and immunofluorescence microscopy. [Life Sci] Full Article

Subscribe to one of our other 19 science newsletters such as ESC & iPSC News & Cell Therapy News.

Perivascular-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells

The authors highlight recent data elucidating molecular mechanisms that indicate that pericytes can be tissue-specific pre-committed MSC precursors in vivo and that this pre-commitment is a major driving force behind MSC differentiation. [J Dent Res] Abstract

Adipose-Derived Stem Cells in Cancer Progression: New Perspectives and Opportunities

To date, clinical trials have failed to demonstrate the potential pro-oncogenic role of adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) enrichment. Nevertheless, some pre-clinical studies from in vitro and in vivo models have suggested that ASCs act as a potential tumor promoter for different cancer cell types, and support tumor progression and invasiveness through the activation of several intracellular signals. [Int J Mol Sci] Full Article

Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the mesenchymal cell research field.

Genmab Announces Positive Topline Results in the Phase II GRIFFIN Study of Transplant Eligible, Newly Diagnosed Patients with Multiple Myeloma Treated with Daratumumab in Combination with Lenalidomide, Bortezomib, and Dexamethasone

Genmab A/S announced that topline data from the Phase II GRIFFIN study of newly diagnosed patients with multiple myeloma eligible for high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation, who were treated with daratumumab in combination with lenalidomide, bortezomib, and dexamethasone, met its primary endpoint, demonstrating a higher percentage of stringent complete responses than patients who received VRd alone. [Genmab News] Press Release

Health Canada Orders Halt to Unproven Stem Cell-Based Injection Treatments

Health Canada has launched a crackdown on clinics offering unproven, potentially unsafe treatments that inject a patient with their own cells, ordering three dozen of them to stop offering the services immediately. The clinics, located in BC, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec, advertised a variety of stem cell and platelet-rich plasma treatments for numerous conditions, including heart problems, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, hair loss and skin rejuvenation. [The Globe and Mail] Editorial

Stem Cell Funding Agency CIRM Is Nearly Out of Funds

After funding stem cell research since 2004, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine is running out of funds. The state agency currently has funding requests for $88 million pending but only $33 million left to give out to scientists. [The Scientist] Editorial

Hungarian Government Takes Control of Research Institutes despite Outcry

After months of struggle between Hungary’s research ministry and its scientific community, the nation’s parliament ratified a law on 2 July that gives the government control over the 40 or so institutes belonging to the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. The government says that its aim is to make research more innovative. [Nature News] Editorial

NEW 7^th International Stem Cell Meeting of the Israel Stem Cell Society
November 12-23, 2019
Tel Aviv, Israel

Visit our events page to see a complete list of events in the community.

NEW Associate Professor – Stem Cell Science (University College London)

NEW Tenure-Track Position – Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Mesenchymal Tumor Invasion Research (Luxembourg Institute of Health)

Assistant Director – Cell & Gene Therapy (MD Anderson Cancer Center)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Immunology & Respiratory Disease Research with MSCs (Boehringer Ingelheim)

Development Scientist – Cell Therapy (GE)

Postdoctoral Researchers – Cardiometabolic Diseases (Columbia University Medical Center)

Postdoctoral Fellow – MSCs in Skeletal Development (University of Pennsylvania)

Assistant Professor – Musculoseketal Biology (Keck School of Medicine of USC)

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Regenerative Medicine & Developmental Genetics (Medical School of Chonnam National University)

Recruit Top Talent: Reach potential candidates by posting your organization’s career opportunities on the Connexon Creative Job Board at no cost.

Have we missed an important article or publication in Mesenchymal Cell News? Click here to submit!

Comments or suggestions? Submit your feedback here.