Human amnion-derived mesenchymal stem cells are a potential source for uterine stem cell therapy.
OBJECTIVE
Human amnion is an easy-to-obtain novel source of human mesenchymal stem cells, which poses little or no ethical dilemmas. We have previously shown that human amnion-derived mesenchymal (HAM) cells exhibit certain mesenchymal stem cell-like characteristics with respect to expression of stem cell markers and differentiation potentials.


METHODS
In this study, we further characterized HAM cells' potential for in vivo therapeutic application.


RESULTS
Flow cytometric analyses of HAM cells show that they express several stem cell-related cell surface markers, including CD90, CD105, CD59, CD49d, CD44 and HLA-ABC, but not CD45, CD34, CD31, CD106 or HLA-DR. HAM cells at the 10th passage showed normal karyotype. More interestingly, the AbdB-like HOXA genes HOXA9, HOXA10 and HOXA11 that are expressed in the mesenchyme of the developing female reproductive tract and pregnant uteri are also expressed in HAM cells, suggesting similarities between these two mesenchymal cell types. Progesterone receptor is also highly expressed in HAM cells and expression of genes or proteins in HAM cells could be manipulated with the aid of lentivirus technology or cell-permeable peptides. To test potentials of HAM cells for in vivo application, we introduced enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP)-expressing HAM cells to mice by intrauterine infusion (into uteri) or by intravenous injection (into the circulation). Presence of EGFP-expressing cells within the uterine mesenchyme after intrauterine infusion or in lungs after intravenous injection was noted within 1-4 weeks.


CONCLUSIONS
Collectively, these results suggest that HAM cells are a potential source of mesenchymal stem cells with therapeutic potential.
Han
K
K
Department of Biomedical Science and Technology, Research Center for Drugs, Institute of Biomedical Science and Technology, Konkuk University, Seoul, South Korea.
Lee
J E
JE
Kwon
S J
SJ
Park
S Y
SY
Shim
S H
SH
Kim
H
H
Moon
J H
JH
Suh
C S
CS
Lim
H J
HJ
D000650:Amnion / Q000166:cytology*; D000818:Animals; D064987:Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy; D020732:Cytogenetic Analysis; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000378:metabolism; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology; D045164:Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D014599:Uterus / Q000166:cytology*; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D000071818:Wnt-5a Protein
D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; C085389:WNT5A protein, human; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D000071818:Wnt-5a Protein; C088144:HoxA protein; D007371:Interferon-gamma