title: Stem cells from umbilical cord blood do have myogenic potential, with and without differentiation induction in vitro.
abstract: The dystrophin gene, located at Xp21, codifies dystrophin, which is part of a protein complex responsible for the membrane stability of muscle cells. Its absence on muscle causes Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), a severe disorder, while a defect of muscle dystrophin causes Becker Muscular Dystrophy (DMB), a milder disease. The replacement of the defective muscle through stem cells transplantation is a possible future treatment for these patients. Our objective was to analyze the potential of CD34+ stem cells from umbilical cord blood to differentiate in muscle cells and express dystrophin, in vitro. Protein expression was analyzed by Immunofluorescence, Western Blotting (WB) and Reverse Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR). CD34+ stem cells and myoblasts from a DMD affected patient started to fuse with muscle cells immediately after co-cultures establishment. Differentiation in mature myotubes was observed after 15 days and dystrophin-positive regions were detected through Immunofluorescence analysis. However, WB or RT-PCR analysis did not detect the presence of normal dystrophin in co-cultures of CD34+ and DMD or DMB affected patients' muscle cells. In contrast, some CD34+ stem cells differentiated in dystrophin producers' muscle cells, what was observed by WB, reinforcing that this progenitor cell has the potential to originate muscle dystrophin in vitro, and not just in vivo like reported before.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Human Genome Research Center, São Paulo, Brazil. mayazatz@usp.br
authors.forename: Tatiana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jazedje
authors.forename: Mariane
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Secco
authors.forename: Natássia M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Vieira
authors.forename: Eder
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zucconi
authors.forename: Thomaz R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Gollop
authors.forename: Mariz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vainzof
authors.forename: Mayana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zatz
mesh_terms: D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D024510:Muscle Development; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018952:Antigens, CD34; D012333:RNA, Messenger