Abstract: Studies with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are increasing due to their immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory and tissue regenerative properties. However, there is still no agreement about the best source of equine MSCs for a bank for allogeneic therapy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cell culture and immunophenotypic characteristics and differentiation potential of equine MSCs from bone marrow (BM-MSCs), adipose tissue (AT-MSCs) and umbilical cord (UC-MSCs) under identical in vitro conditions, to compare these sources for research or an allogeneic therapy cell bank. Methods: The BM-MSCs, AT-MSCs and UC-MSCs were cultured and evaluated in vitro for their osteogenic, adipogenic and chondrogenic differentiation potential. Additionally, MSCs were assessed for CD105, CD44, CD34, CD90 and MHC-II markers by flow cytometry, and MHC-II was also assessed by immunocytochemistry. To interpret the flow cytometry results, statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA. Results: The harvesting and culturing procedures of BM-MSCs, AT-MSCs and UC-MSCs were feasible, with an average cell growth until the third passage of 25 days for BM-MSCs, 15 days for AT-MSCs and 26 days for UC-MSCs. MSCs from all sources were able to differentiate into osteogenic (after 10 days for BM-MSCs and AT-MSCs and 15 days for UC-MSCs), adipogenic (after 8 days for BM-MSCs and AT-MSCs and 15 days for UC-MSCs) and chondrogenic (after 21 days for BM-MSCs, AT-MSCs and UC-MSCs) lineages. MSCs showed high expression of CD105, CD44 and CD90 and low or negative expression of CD34 and MHC-II. The MHC-II was not detected by immunocytochemistry techniques in any of the MSCs studied. Conclusions: The BM, AT and UC are feasible sources for harvesting equine MSCs, and their immunophenotypic and multipotency characteristics attained minimal criteria for defining MSCs. Due to the low expression of MHC-II by MSCs, all of the sources could be used in clinical trials involving allogeneic therapy in horses. However, the BM-MSCs and AT-MSCs showed fastest ''in vitro'' differentiation and AT-MSCs showed highest cell growth until third passage. These findings suggest that BM and AT may be preferable for cell banking purposes.
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The research explores the potential of three different sources of equine mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs, AT-MSCs, and UC-MSCs) for use in allogeneic stem cell therapies. It found that all sources could be feasibly used and had minimal criteria for defining MSCs, with the BM-MSCs and AT-MSCs showing the most promising results for cell banking.
Research Objective
The primary goal of this study was to find out the best potential source of equine mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for an allogeneic therapy cell bank. In simple terms, allogeneic therapy is a procedure in which cells, tissues, or organs are transferred from one individual to another of the same species. The sources assessed were bone marrow (BM-MSCs), adipose tissue (AT-MSCs), and umbilical cord (UC-MSCs).
Research Methodology
Mesenchymal stem cells from all three sources were cultured under identical in vitro conditions.
These were then evaluated for their capacity to differentiate into osteogenic, adipogenic, and chondrogenic lineages.
The MSCs were also tested for immunophenotypic markers (CD105, CD44, CD34, CD90, and MHC-II) using flow cytometry and immunocytochemistry techniques.
Statistical analysis, using ANOVA, was conducted to interpret the flow cytometry results.
Key Findings
The harvesting procedures for MSCs from all three sources were viable. The average cell growth until the third passage was 25 days for BM-MSCs, 15 days for AT-MSCs, and 26 days for UC-MSCs.
All the sourced MSCs could differentiate into osteogenic, adipogenic, and chondrogenic cells.
The cells showed high expression of CD105, CD44, and CD90 markers and low or no expression of CD34 and MHC-II. MHC-II was not detected in any of the MSCs through immunocytochemistry techniques.
All the sources can be potentially used for allogeneic therapy due to the low expression of MHC-II.
Conclusions
The study concluded that all sources (BM, AT, and UC) meet the minimal criteria for defining MSCs and can be used for stem-cell therapies in horses.
However, the most conducive for in vitro differentiation were BM-MSCs and AT-MSCs, and AT-MSCs showed the highest cell growth until the third passage, making them more preferable for cell banking purposes.
Cite This Article
APA
Barberini DJ, Freitas NP, Magnoni MS, Maia L, Listoni AJ, Heckler MC, Sudano MJ, Golim MA, da Cruz Landim-Alvarenga F, Amorim RM.
(2014).
Equine mesenchymal stem cells from bone marrow, adipose tissue and umbilical cord: immunophenotypic characterization and differentiation potential.
Stem Cell Res Ther, 5(1), 25.
https://doi.org/10.1186/scrt414
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