Mesenchymal Cell News Volume 5.23 | Jun 18 2013

Coupling of Small Leucine-Rich Proteoglycans to Hypoxic Survival of a Progenitor Cell-Like Subpopulation in Rhesus Macaque Intervertebral Disc
Intervertebral disc (IVD) tissue-specific progenitor cells and their niche components are not clear, although degenerated IVD-derived cells possess in vitro characteristics of mesenchymal stromal cells. The authors identified the tissue-specific intervertebral disc progenitor cells (DPCs) from healthy Rhesus monkey and report the niche components modulated the survival of DPCs under hypoxia. DPCs possess clonogenicity, multipotency and retain differentiation potential after extended expansion in vitro and in vivo. [Biomaterials] Abstract

Endothelial Differentiation of Adipose Tissue-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in Glioma Tumors: Implications for Cell Based Therapy
Researchers used a bioluminescence imaging platform to analyze the behavior of bioluminescent human adipose tissue mesenchymal stromal cells (hAMSCs) expressing HSV-tTK in a U87 glioma model and gain insight into the therapeutic mechanisms. Tumor implanted hAMSCs expressed the endothelial marker PECAM1, integrated in tumor vessels and associated with CD133 expressing glioma stem cells. [Mol Ther] Abstract

Phenotype, Donor Age and Gender Affect Function of Human Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells
Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (BM-MSCs) were isolated from 53 donors and analyzed. BM-MSCs from younger donors showed increased expression of MCAM, VCAM-1, ALCAM, PDGFRbeta, PDL-1, Thy1 and CD71, and led to lower IL-6 production when co-cultured with activated T cells. [BMC Med] Abstract | Full Article

Overexpression of Jagged-1 and Its Intracellular Domain in Human Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Differentially Affect the Interaction with Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells
Scientists used genetically engineered bone marrow-derived human mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) to study the function role of Jagged-1 and the Jagged-1 intracellular domain with respect to the interaction with hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. They demonstrated that Jagged-1 in human MSC undergoes cleavage to produce an intracellular domain that translocates into the nucleus. [Stem Cells Dev] Abstract

Low Osteogenic Differentiation Potential of Placenta-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Correlates with Low Expression of the Transcription Factors Runx2 and Twist2
Recent studies indicated that mesenchymal stromal cells from bone marrow (bmMSC) differ in their osteogenic differentiation capacity compared to MSC from term placenta (pMSC). Researchers extended these studies and investigated the expression of factors involved in regulation of bone metabolism in both cell types. The adipogenic differentiation was somewhat more prominent in bmMSC, while the chondrogenic differentiation seemed not to differ between bmMSC and pMSC, as determined by histochemical staining. [Stem Cells Dev] Abstract

Low Oxygen Tension Is Critical for the Culture of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells with Strong Osteogenic Potential from Hemarthrosis Fluid
Researchers used human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) derived from hemarthrosis fluid (HF), which is aspirated and discarded as clinical waste. With the aim of improving their bioprocessing methodologies for clinical translation, they have investigated the effect of low oxygen tension on the derivation and osteogenic potential of this novel HF-hMSC population. [Stem Cells Rev Rep] Abstract

Functional Expression of Smooth Muscle-Specific Ion Channels in TGF-β1-Treated Human Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells
The authors characterized the functional expression of ion channels after TGF-β1-induced differentiation of human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hASCs), providing insights into the differentiation of vascular smooth muscle cells. The treatment of hASCs with TGF-β1 dramatically increased the contraction of a collagen-gel lattice and the expression levels of smooth muscle specific genes including α-smooth muscle actin, calponin, SM-MHC, smoothelin-B, myocardin, and h-caldesmon. [Am J Physiol Cell Physiol] Abstract

Layering PLGA-Based Electrospun Membranes and Cell Sheets for Engineering Cartilage-Bone Transition
Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) were cultured in thermoresponsive dishes to allow non-enzymatic removal of an intact cell layer after reaching confluence. The tissue constructs were created by layering electrospun membranes with sheets of hMSCs and were cultured under chondrogenic conditions for up to 21 days. High viability was found to be maintained in the multilayered construct. [J Tissue Eng Regen Med] Abstract

Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Promote Growth and Angiogenesis of Breast and Prostate Tumors
Effects of bone marrow-derived (BM)-mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) on tumor cell proliferation were analyzed in a co-culture system with mouse breast cancer cell 4T1 or human prostate cancer cell DU145. Both co-culturing with mice BM-MSCs (mBM-MSCs) and treatment with mBM-MSCs-conditioned medium enhanced the growth of 4T1 cells. [Stem Cell Res Ther] Abstract | Full Article

REVIEWS

Adult Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Therapy for Inflammatory Diseases: How Well Are We Joining the Dots?
The authors summarize some of the most significant new developments that contribute to the process of translating mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) research to the clinical arena. In the context of this recent progress, they discuss key challenges and specific knowledge gaps which, if not addressed in a coordinated fashion, may hinder the creation of robust “translational pipelines” for consolidating the status of MSC-based therapies. [Stem Cells] Abstract | Full Article

Concise Review: Mesenchymal Stem Cell Treatment for Ischemic Kidney Disease
This review focuses on recent progress on the use of mesenchymal stem cells to prevent kidney injury in ischemic kidney injury, with a focus on the chronic form. [Stem Cells] Abstract | Full Article

Evidence for High Translational Potential of Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Therapy to Improve Recovery from Ischemic Stroke
The authors discuss the clinical rationale of mesenchymal stromal cells for stroke therapy in the context of their emerging utility in other diseases, and their recent clinical approval for treatment of graft-versus-host disease. [J Cerebr Blood F Met] Abstract

Tissue Resident Mesenchymal Stem/Progenitor Cells in Skeletal Muscle: Collaborators or Saboteurs?
Although the regenerative potential of adult skeletal muscle is maintained by satellite cells, other stem/progenitor cell populations also reside in skeletal muscle. These heterogeneous cellular pools with mesenchymal linage potential play important roles in tissue homeostasis, with reciprocal collaborations between these cells and satellite cells appearing critical for effective regeneration. [FEBS J]
Abstract | Full Article

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

FDA Approves Amgen’s XGEVA^® (Denosumab) for the Treatment of Giant Cell Tumor of Bone
Amgen announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new indication for XGEVA^® (denosumab) for the treatment of adults and skeletally mature adolescents with giant cell tumor of bone that is unresectable or where surgical resection is likely to result in severe morbidity. [Amgen]
Press Release

Scotland Continues to Forge Ahead in Stem Cell Research
Scotland’s standing as Europe’s largest and most highly regarded stem cell research community has been reaffirmed recently by announcements of funding from the UK Medical Research Council and the British Heart Foundation to the MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine based at the Edinburgh BioQuarter. As part of a major $25 million boost for UK regenerative medicine, the Edinburgh center will play a key role in the development of new therapies. [PR Newswire Association LLC] Press Release

National Institutes of Health (United States)

Food and Drug Administration (United States)

Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (United States)

European Medicines Agency (European Union)

Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (United Kingdom)

Therapeutic Goods Administration (Australia)

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NEW Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory: Stem Cell Biology
September 24-28, 2013
Cold Spring Harbor, United States

NEW World Cord Blood Congress 2013
September 30-October 1, 2013
Cambridge, United States

NEW Cell Culture World Congress USA 2013
September 30-October 1, 2013
Cambridge, United States

NEW Stem Cells & Regenerative Medicine Congress 2013
September 30-October 1, 2013
Cambridge, United States

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

NEW Postdoctoral Researcher – Basic and Translational Hemato-Oncology (Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC))

Director of Cell Processing Facility (S L Collins Associates, Inc.)

Postdoctoral Position – Mesenchymal Progenitor Cell Subsets in Lung Development and Repair (Boston University Pulmonary Center)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Mesenchymal Stem Cells (National University of Ireland)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Group A Proteins in Cancer, Stem Cells and Normal Development (Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Opportunity – Mesenchymal Cells in Pulmonary Fibrosis (Cedars-Sinai Medical Center)

Postdoctoral Position – Cardiopulmonary Molecular Biology (Hannover Medical School)

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