title: Aldehyde dehydrogenase activity identifies a population of human skeletal muscle cells with high myogenic capacities.
abstract: Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1A1 (ALDH) activity is one hallmark of human bone marrow (BM), umbilical cord blood (UCB), and peripheral blood (PB) primitive progenitors presenting high reconstitution capacities in vivo. In this study, we have identified ALDH(+) cells within human skeletal muscles, and have analyzed their phenotypical and functional characteristics. Immunohistofluorescence analysis of human muscle tissue sections revealed rare endomysial cells. Flow cytometry analysis using the fluorescent substrate of ALDH, Aldefluor, identified brightly stained (ALDH(br)) cells with low side scatter (SSC(lo)), in enzymatically dissociated muscle biopsies, thereafter abbreviated as SMALD(+) (for skeletal muscle ALDH(+)) cells. Phenotypical analysis discriminated two sub-populations according to CD34 expression: SMALD(+)/CD34(-) and SMALD(+)/CD34(+) cells. These sub-populations did not initially express endothelial (CD31), hematopoietic (CD45), and myogenic (CD56) markers. Upon sorting, however, whereas SMALD(+)/CD34(+) cells developed in vitro as a heterogeneous population of CD56(-) cells able to differentiate in adipoblasts, the SMALD(+)/CD34(-) fraction developed in vitro as a highly enriched population of CD56(+) myoblasts able to form myotubes. Moreover, only the SMALD(+)/CD34(-) population maintained a strong myogenic potential in vivo upon intramuscular transplantation. Our results suggest that ALDH activity is a novel marker for a population of new human skeletal muscle progenitors presenting a potential for cell biology and cell therapy.
authors.affiliation: Inserm U974, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Karine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vauchez
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Marolleau
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schmid
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Khattar
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chapel
authors.forename: Cyril
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Catelain
authors.forename: Séverine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lecourt
authors.forename: Jérôme
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Larghéro
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fiszman
authors.forename: Jean-Thomas
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Vilquin
mesh_terms: D050156:Adipogenesis / Q000502:physiology; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D032342:Muscle Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D024510:Muscle Development / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000166:cytology*; D010641:Phenotype
chemical_list: D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase