Mesenchymal Cell News Volume 10.15 | Apr 17 2018

TOP STORY

Developmentally Inspired Programming of Adult Human Mesenchymal Stromal Cells toward Stable Chondrogenesis

Investigators tested whether forcing specific early events of articular cartilage development can program human MSC fate toward stable chondrogenesis. Inspired by recent findings that spatial restriction of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling guides embryonic progenitors toward articular cartilage formation, they hypothesized that selective inhibition of BMP drives the phenotypic stability of human MSC-derived chondrocytes. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract | Press Release

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IN VITRO

Widespread Changes in Transcriptome Profile of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells Induced by Two-Dimensional Nanosilicates

Scientists investigated the interactions of 2D nanosilicates, a layered clay, with human MSCs at the whole-transcriptome level by high-throughput sequencing. Nanosilicate attachment to the cell membrane and subsequent cellular internalization activated stress-responsive pathways such as mitogen-activated protein kinase, which subsequently directed human MSC differentiation toward osteogenic and chondrogenic lineages. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Full Article | Press Release

Carbon Black Suppresses the Osteogenesis of Mesenchymal Stem Cells: The Role of Mitochondria

Researchers evaluated the effect of carbon black (Printex 90) on the osteogenesis of bone-marrow-derived MSCs. Low doses of Printex 90 that did not cause deleterious effects on MSCs’ viability significantly inhibited osteogenesis of MSCs. Printex 90 caused down-regulation of osteoblastic markers, reduced activity of alkaline phosphatase, and poor mineralization of osteogenically induced MSCs. [Part Fibre Toxicol] Full Article

Inflammatory-Related P62 Triggers Malignant Transformation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells through the Cascade of CUDR-CTCF-IGFII-RAS Signaling

The authors demonstrated that P62 promotes human MSCs’ malignant transformation via the cascade of P62-tumor necrosis factor alpha-CUDR-CTCF-insulin growth factor II (IGFII)-H-Ras signaling. [Mol Ther Nucleic Acids] Full Article

A Novel Endogenous Damage Signal, Glycyl tRNA Synthetase, Activates Multiple Beneficial Functions of Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Investigators identified that Glycyl tRNA synthetase is released by damaged tissues or cells in response to various injury signals and may function as a damage signal that activates the proliferative, differentiation, and migratory potential of MSCs, possibly through its identified receptor, cadherin-6. [Cell Death Differ] Abstract

Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Mediates the Therapeutic Efficacy of Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles against Neonatal Hyperoxic Lung Injury

The MSCs and MSC-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs), but not the EVs derived from vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-knockdown MSCs or fibroblasts, attenuated in vitro H₂O₂-induced L2 cell death and in vivo hyperoxic lung injuries, such as impaired alveolarization and angiogenesis, increased cell death, and activated macrophages and proinflammatory cytokines. [Exp Mol Med] Full Article

Hsa-let-7c Controls the Committed Differentiation of IGF-1-Treated Mesenchymal Stem Cells Derived from Dental Pulps by Targeting IGF-1R via the MAPK Pathways

Scientists investigated the influence of hsa-let-7c (let-7c) on the proliferation and differentiation of human dental pulp-derived MSCs treated with insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) via flow cytometry, CCK-8 assays, alizarin red staining, real-time RT-PCR, and western blotting. [Exp Mol Med] Full Article

Stathmin Inhibits Proliferation and Differentiation of Dental Pulp Stem Cells via Sonic Hedgehog/Gli

Treatment with stathmin shRNA inhibited the ability of human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) to proliferate, as demonstrated by a CCK8 assay and flow cytometry analysis, and suppressed the osteogenic/odontoblastic differentiation ability, as demonstrated by alizarin red S staining and osteogenic/odontoblastic differentiation‐related gene activity, compared to that of hDPSCs from the control shRNA group. [J Cell Mol Med] Abstract | Full Article

Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines Activate Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 3α via Epigenetic Changes in Mesenchymal Stromal/Stem Cells

The authors investigated the role of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)3α in vitro and in vivo. Human MSCs expressed HIF3α, differentially regulated by pro-inflammatory cytokines in an oxygen-independent manner, a novel and still uncharacterized mechanism, where NF-κB is critical for its expression. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Transplantation of BDNF Gene Recombinant Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Adhesive Peptide-Modified Hydrogel Scaffold for Spinal Cord Repair

The transfected MSCs exhibited improved cellular survival and sustained gene expression in the 3D scaffold in vitro. Compared to untransfected MSCs, gene recombinant MSCs effectively improved spinal tissue integrity, inhibited glial scar formation and alleviated inflammatory response. [Curr Gene Ther] Abstract

IN VIVO

In Vivo Migration of Mesenchymal Stem Cells to Burn Injury Sites and Their Therapeutic Effects in a Living Mouse Model

Investigators non-invasively monitored the tracking of MSCs toward burn injury sites using MSCs expressing firefly luciferase gene in living mice, and evaluated the effects of the MSCs at the injury site. [J Control Release] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

Histone Hypo-Acetylation of Sox9 Mediates Nicotine-Induced Weak Cartilage Repair by Suppressing BMSC Chondrogenic Differentiation

Researchers showed that nicotine inhibited cartilage repair function by suppressing SRY-type high-mobility group box 9 (Sox9) in regenerated tissues. [Stem Cell Res Ther] Full Article

Translation of Remote Control Regenerative Technologies for Bone Repair

Scientists describe an innovative bio-magnetic strategy, MICA, where magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are used to remotely deliver mechanical stimuli to the mechano-receptor, TREK-1, resulting in activation and downstream signaling via an external magnetic array. They translated MICA to a pre-clinical ovine model of bone injury to evaluate functional bone repair. [NPJ Regen Med] Full Article

Mesenchymal Stromal Cells: A Novel Therapy for the Treatment of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease?

The authors discuss the rationale for MSC-based cell therapy in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the main findings from in vitro and in vivo preclinical COPD model studies, clinical trials in patients with COPD and directions for further research. [Thorax] Full Article

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

Tissue Engineering Project Awarded €3M to Revolutionize Treatment of Joint Injuries

Prof Fergal O’Brien from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Dept of Anatomy and AMBER, the Science Foundation Ireland-funded materials science research centre, has been awarded a European Research Council Advanced Grant for research aiming to revolutionize the treatment of damaged articular joints such as the knee or ankle. [Tech Central] Press Release

Could Stem Cells Repair the Heart, Fight Infections, Mend Premature Lungs, and Heal the Brain after Stroke?

Researchers from The Ottawa Hospital, CHEO and the University of Ottawa are bringing discoveries made in the lab closer to human trials and therapies, thanks to five new peer-reviewed research grants from the Stem Cell Network worth $999,900, part of an overall investment of $4 million across Canada. [The Ottawa Hospital] Press Release

A Final Dash across the United States: Updates from the 2018 March for Science

The March for Science celebrated its anniversary. And although the turnout around the world was significantly smaller than last year, supporters haven’t lost any of their energy. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

Panel Calls for a Postdoc Tax and Other Measures to Help Biomedical Scientists Find Jobs

The U.S. Congress, federal funding agencies, universities, and other research institutions must take significant steps, such as a postdoc “tax” and a hard cap on how long postdocs can be funded by a lab head, to better usher young biomedical scientists into viable careers, a committee from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine concluded in a report. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

Spain’s Biggest-Ever Science Petition Decries ‘Abandonment’ of Research

Leading Spanish scientific organizations delivered a petition signed by more than 277,000 people to the national parliament in Madrid, calling on the government to stop the “progressive abandonment of science in Spain” caused by budget cuts. The petition is the largest ever on a science-policy subject in Spain. [Nature News] Editorial

NEW 2019 Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS) World Congress
May 27-31, 2019
Rhodes, Greece

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NEW Scientist – Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology (Moderna Therapeutics)

Assistant Professor – Regenerative Medicine (University of California, San Diego)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Musculoskeletal Tissue Regeneration (University of South Dakota)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Bone Biology (Cornell University)

Postdoctoral Positions – Bioengineering (George Washington University)

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Skeletal Stem Cell Biology (Johns Hopkins University)

Faculty Position – Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine (University of Illinois)

Postodoctoral Fellowship – Cell and Molecular Biology (Canadian Nuclear Laboratories)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Cell Biology (University of Pennsylvania)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Bone Biology and Osteoimmunology (Weill Cornell Medicine)

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