Mesenchymal stromal cells from donors varying widely in age are of equal cellular fitness after in vitro expansion under hypoxic conditions.
OBJECTIVE
Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) are gaining in popularity as an experimental therapy for a number of conditions that often require expansion ex vivo prior to use. Data comparing clinical-grade MSC from various ages of donors are scant. We hypothesized that MSC from older donors may display differences in cellular fitness when expanded for clinical use.


METHODS
We evaluated the expression of several markers of aging, oxidative stress and growth kinetics, and telomere length, in MSC obtained from a wide age range (8 months to 58 years).


RESULTS
To evaluate cellular fitness we compared MSC expanded from younger (8 months-6 years) versus older (38-58 years) donors in terms of selected cell-surface markers, lipofuscin, migration ability, telomere length and expression of iNOS, PGE₂, p16INK and SOD. Results did not differ between these groups. Neither SOD activity (0.025 versus 0.028 U/mL) nor death after oxidative challenge was significantly different (1% versus 1.5%, P = 0.14). We did find that, although MSC from older individuals produced slightly fewer cells over a 28-day culture period and had a slightly longer doubling time (54 h versus 42 hr, a satisfactory clinical product could still be obtained regardless of age cohort.


CONCLUSIONS
Collectively, these data show that MSC can be expanded without significant alterations in expansile properties or obvious changes in parameters associated with senescence. Because cellular fitness was equivalent in these cohorts, MSC from donors up to age 58 years can be used as a source of cells for cellular therapy.
Lund
Troy C
TC
Division of Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplantation Program, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA. lundx072@umn.edu
Kobs
Amanda
A
Blazar
Bruce R
BR
Tolar
Jakub
J
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism*; D015687:Cell Hypoxia / Q000502:physiology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016922:Cellular Senescence / Q000502:physiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D014019:Tissue Donors
D015415:Biomarkers
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