Mesenchymal stem cells enhance the differentiation of c-kit+ cardiac stem cells.
C-kit+ cardiac stem cells (CSCs) were isolated from neonatal rat and tested for the expression of Nkx2.5 and GATA-4 genes which are important in cardiac development. C-kit+ CSCs were plated into the well below the insert of transwell inserts and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) were plated into the inserts. The expression of cardiac Troponin T (cTnT), p27, CDK2, transforming growth factor-beta receptor II (TGF-beta R II), and Smad2 protein in CSCs were tested by western blot. Expression of p27, TGF-beta R II and Smad2 was found to be upregulated in the co-culture group. In contrast, the expression of CDK2 was downregulated. Our results suggest that BMMSCs could promote the differentiation of c-kit+ CSCs, probably through paracrine activity via the TGF-beta signaling pathway.
Department of Cadres' Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, 1665 Kongjiang Road, Shanghai, 200092, China.
Qing
Q
Cao
Fei
F
Wang
Jixian
J
Lin
Qin
Q
Xu
Shuyan
S
Chen
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D017931:DNA Primers; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000166:cytology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*
D017931:DNA Primers; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit