title: Rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells express glial markers and stimulate nerve regeneration.
abstract: Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells can trans-differentiate into neuronal phenotypes. We examined the differentiation of marrow stromal cells (MSCs) in culture and during nerve regeneration. MSCs from adult rats were exposed to glial growth factor (GGF) to stimulate glial differentiation. Subsequently differentiated MSCs were retrovirally labelled with green fluorescent protein and transplanted into 1 cm nerve conduits in the rat sciatic nerve. Fifteen days post-operatively the conduits were examined for axonal and Schwann cell regeneration and MSC integration. In vitro, MSCs exposed to GGF expressed S100 and glial fibrillary acidic protein. Following transplantation, MSCs maintained S100 expression and enhanced nerve regeneration, with significant Schwann cell regeneration compared to control (2.7 +/- 0.21 vs. 2.05 +/- .21 mm; P < 0.05). MSCs not exposed to GGF prior to transplantation expressed S100 in vivo indicating glial differentiation in response to local cytokines and growth factors.
authors.affiliation: University Department of Surgery, Royal Free and University College Medical School, University College London, UK.
authors.forename: Mel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tohill
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mantovani
authors.forename: Mikael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wiberg
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Terenghi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D002452:Cell Count / Q000379:methods; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D020890:Neuregulin-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012190:Retroviridae / Q000378:metabolism; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000637:transplantation; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D020890:Neuregulin-1; D009418:S100 Proteins; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins