title: Pleiotrophin is involved in the amniotic epithelial cell-induced differentiation of human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells into dopaminergic neuron-like cells.
abstract: We have reported that human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUCB-MSCs) are capable of differentiating into dopaminergic (DA) neuron-like cells upon being induced by amniotic epithelial cells (AECs). However, what factor(s) is involved in the differentiation process has not been explored out thoroughly. Because pleiotrophin (PTN) is known to exert important trophic effects on DA neurons, in the present study, we investigated whether PTN is released by AECs and whether it is involved in the differentiation of hUCB-MSCs into DA neuron-like cells. The expression and secretion of PTN by AECs were detected by immunofluorescence, RT-PCR and ELISA. The hUCB-MSCs were isolated and treated with AEC-conditioned medium (ACM) or recombinant human PTN. Compared to the controls, a higher proportion of treated cells differentiated into DA neuron-like cells, indicated by the increased expression of TH and DAT and the increased dopamine content. These results indicate that PTN released by AECs acts as a synergetic factor with other neurotrophic factors and is involved in the differentiation of hUCB-MSCs into DA neuron-like cells. We suggest that ACM, which contains PTN and other neurotrophic factors, could potentially be used as an agent to promote the differentiation of DA neuron-like cells from hUCB-MSCs for cell therapy of Parkinson's disease without creating legal or ethical issues.
authors: Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, PR China.
authors: Shu
authors: S
authors: Yang
authors: Dan-Dan
authors: DD
authors: Xue
authors: Bo
authors: B
authors: Wu
authors: Hai-Mei
authors: HM
authors: Sun
authors: Xiao-Shuang
authors: XS
authors: Li
authors: Fang
authors: F
authors: Dong
authors: Wen-Shuai
authors: WS
authors: Li
authors: Feng-Qing
authors: FQ
authors: Ji
authors: De-Shan
authors: DS
authors: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000650:Amnion / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D059290:Dopaminergic Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D016207:Cytokines; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C066845:pleiotrophin