A Diels-Alder Modulated Approach to Control and Sustain the Release of Dexamethasone and Induce Osteogenic Differentiation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells Researchers report a new approach to controlled drug release based upon exploiting the dynamic equilibrium that exists between Diels-Alder reactants and products, demonstrating the release of a furan containing dexamethasone peptide from a maleimide containing hydrogel. Using a reaction-diffusion model, the release kinetics were tuned to achieve sustained concentrations conducive to osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells. [Biomaterials] Abstract Allogeneic Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy for Bisphosphonate-Related Jaw Osteonecrosis in Swine To investigate the pathogenesis of bisphosphonates-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (BRONJ) and observe the treatment effect of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation, the authors established a pre-clinical animal model of BRONJ in miniature pigs. [Stem Cell Dev] Abstract Hepatocyte Growth Factor Gene-Modified Mesenchymal Stem Cells Reduce Radiation-Induced Lung Injury Scientists conducted mesenchymal stem cell-based hepatocyte growth factor gene therapy for radiation-induced lung injury. [Hum Gene Ther] Abstract Stromal Cell-Derived Factor-1β Mediates Cell Survival through Enhancing Autophagy in Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells The authors tested the hypothesis that stromal cell-derived factor-1 can mediate cell survival of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem/stromal cells in vitro through increasing autophagy. [PLoS One] Full Article | Press Release Snail Mediates PDGF-BB-Induced Invasion of Rat Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells in 3-D Collagen and Chick Chorioallantoic Membrane Researchers report that PDGF-BB upregulates both mRNA and protein expression of snail in rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (rBMMSCs). PDGF-BB enhances rBMMSC invasion in three-dimensional (3D) collagen, which is blocked by snail specific siRNA transfection. [J Cell Physiol] Abstract Expression Profiles of Subtracted mRNAs during Cellular Senescence in Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells Derived from Bone Marrow Suppression subtractive hybridization was used to identify genes that were differentially expressed between young human mesenchymal stem cells and senescent human mesenchymal stem cells. Scientists selected positive clones that were functionally characterized by referring to public databases using NCBI BLAST tool. [Exp Gerontol] Abstract Ischemic Brain Injury: A Consortium Analysis of Key Factors Involved in Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Mediated Inflammatory Reduction Modulation by mesenchymal stem cells in this in vivo and in vitro study shows they decrease markers of microglial activation and astrogliosis following transplantation in an ouabain-induced brain ischemia rat model and in organotypic hippocampal cultures. [Arch Biochem Biophys] Abstract Nano-Sized Collagen I Molecules Enhanced the Differentiation of Rat Mesenchymal Stem Cells into Cardiomyocytes Researchers investigated the ability of nano-sized collagen I molecules and a 5-azacytidine treatment to enhance the differentiation of rat mesenchymal stem cells toward a cardiomyogenic phenotype in vitro. [J Biomed Mater Res A] Abstract Differential Effects of Mesenchymal Stem Cells on a Heterogeneous Cell Population within Lung Cancer Cell Lines Because malignant tumors contain a heterogeneous cell population with variable capacity for self-renewal, the authors aimed to determine whether the inconsistencies between in vitro and in vivo studies are a result of differential effects of mesenchymal stem cells on the heterogeneous cell population within lung cancer cell lines. [Mol Cell Biochem] Abstract |