title: Are globoseries glycosphingolipids SSEA-3 and -4 markers for stem cells derived from human umbilical cord blood?
abstract: Umbilical cord blood (UCB) is an efficient and valuable source of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) for transplantation. In addition to HSCs it harbours low amounts of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). No single marker to identify cord blood-derived stem cells, or to indicate their multipotent phenotype, has been characterized so far. SSEA-3 and -4 are cell surface globoseries glycosphingolipid epitopes that are commonly used as markers for human embryonic stem cells, where SSEA-3 rapidly disappears when the cells start to differentiate. Lately SSEA-3 and -4 have also been observed in MSCs. As there is an ongoing discussion and variation of stem-cell markers between laboratories, we have now comprehensively characterized the expression of these epitopes in both the multipotent stem-cell types derived from UCB. We have performed complementary analysis using gene expression analysis, mass spectrometry and immunochemical methods, including both flow cytometry and immunofluoresence microscopy. SSEA-4, but not SSEA-3, was expressed on MSCs but absent from HSCs. Our findings indicate that SSEA-3 and/or -4 may not be optimal markers for multipotency in the case of stem cells derived from cord blood, as their expression may be altered by cell-culture conditions.
authors.affiliation: Research and Development, Finnish Red Cross Blood Service, R&D, Kivihaantie 7, FIN-00310 Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Heli
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Suila
authors.forename: Virve
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pitkänen
authors.forename: Tia
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hirvonen
authors.forename: Annamari
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Heiskanen
authors.forename: Heidi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Laitinen
authors.forename: Suvi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Natunen
authors.forename: Halina
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Miller-Podraza
authors.forename: Tero
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Satomaa
authors.forename: Jari
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Natunen
authors.forename: Saara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Laitinen
authors.forename: Leena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Valmu
mesh_terms: D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015870:Gene Expression; D006028:Glycosphingolipids / Q000378:metabolism*; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D055746:Stage-Specific Embryonic Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate; D006028:Glycosphingolipids; D055746:Stage-Specific Embryonic Antigens; C052924:stage-specific embryonic antigen-3; C066584:stage-specific embryonic antigen-4