title: CD146 expression on mesenchymal stem cells is associated with their vascular smooth muscle commitment.
abstract: Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are plastic adherent cells that can differentiate into various tissue lineages, including osteoblasts, adipocytes and chondrocytes. However, this progenitor property is not shared by all cells within the MSC population. In addition, MSCs vary in their proliferation capacity and expression of markers. Because of heterogeneity of CD146 expression in the MSC population, we compared CD146(-/Low) and CD146(High) cells under clonal conditions and after sorting of the non-clonal cell population to determine whether this expression is associated with specific functions. CD146(-/Low) and CD146(High) bone marrow MSCs did not differ in colony-forming unit-fibroblast number, osteogenic, adipogenic and chondrogenic differentiation or in vitro haematopoietic-supportive activity. However, CD146(-/Low) clones proliferated slightly but significantly faster than did CD146(High) clones. In addition, a strong expression of CD146 molecule was associated with a commitment to a vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) lineage characterized by a strong up-regulation of calponin-1 and SM22α expression and an ability to contract collagen matrix. Thus, within a bone marrow MSC population, certain subpopulations characterized by high expression of CD146, are committed towards a VSMC lineage.
authors.affiliation: EFS Pyrénées Méditerranée UMR5273 CNRS/UPS/EFS, Inserm U1031 STROMALab, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Espagnolle
authors.forename: Fabien
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guilloton
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Deschaseaux
authors.forename: Mélanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gadelorge
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sensébé
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bourin
mesh_terms: D051929:CD146 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002469:Cell Separation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000378:metabolism*; D010641:Phenotype; D059467:Transcriptome; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D051929:CD146 Antigen; C497902:MCAM protein, human; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2
keywords: CD146; differentiation; mesenchymal stem cells; proliferation; vascular smooth muscle cell