Anti-fibrotic effect of chorionic plate-derived mesenchymal stem cells isolated from human placenta in a rat model of CCl(4)-injured liver: potential application to the treatment of hepatic diseases.
Translational studies have explored the therapeutic effects of stem cells, raising hopes for the treatment of numerous diseases. Here, we evaluated the therapeutic effect of chorionic plate-derived mesenchymal stem cells (CP-MSCs) isolated from human placenta and transplanted into rats with carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4))-injured livers. CP-MSCs were analyzed for hepatocyte-specific gene expression, indocyanine green (ICG) uptake, glycogen storage, and urea production following hepatogenic differentiation. PKH26-labeled CP-MSCs were directly transplanted into the livers of rats that had been exposed to CCl(4) (1.6 g/kg, twice per week for 9 weeks). Blood and liver tissue were analyzed at 1, 2, and 3 weeks post-transplantation. The expression of type I collagen (Col I) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) was analyzed in rat T-HSC/Cl-6 hepatic stellate cells co-cultured with CP-MSCs following exposure to TGF-β. The expression levels of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and Col I were lower in transplanted (TP) rats than in non-transplanted (Non-TP) animals (P < 0.05), whereas the expression levels of albumin and MMP-9 were increased. TP rats exhibited significantly higher uptake/excretion of ICG than non-TP rats (P < 0.005). In addition, collagen synthesis in T-HSC/Cl-6 cells exposed to TGF-β was decreased by co-culture with CP-MSCs, which triggered the activation of MMP-2 and MMP-9. These results contribute to our understanding of the potential pathophysiological roles of CP-MSCs, including anti-fibrotic effects in liver disease, and provide a foundation for the development of new cell therapy-based strategies for the treatment of difficult-to-treat liver diseases.
Lee
Min-Jae
MJ
School of Veterinary Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Kangwon-do, Republic of Korea.
Jung
Jieun
J
Na
Kyu-Hwan
KH
Moon
Ji Suk
JS
Lee
Hey-Jin
HJ
Kim
Jae-Hwan
JH
Kim
Gwang Il
GI
Kwon
Sung-Won
SW
Hwang
Seong-Gyu
SG
Kim
Gi Jin
GJ
D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride / Q000633:toxicity*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D045164:Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D010920:Placenta / Q000166:cytology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000494:pharmacology
D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride