title: Human C-kit+CD45- cardiac stem cells are heterogeneous and display both cardiac and endothelial commitment by single-cell qPCR analysis.
abstract: C-kit expressing cardiac stem cells have been described as multipotent. We have previously identified human cardiac C-kit+CD45- cells, but only found evidence of endothelial commitment. A small cardiac committed subpopulation within the C-kit+CD45- population might however be present. To investigate this at single-cell level, right and left atrial biopsies were dissociated and analyzed by FACS. Only right atrial biopsies contained a clearly distinguishable C-kit+CD45- population, which was single-cell sorted for qPCR. A minor portion of the sorted cells (1.1%) expressed early cardiac gene NKX2.5 while most of the cells (81%) expressed late endothelial gene VWF. VWF- cells were analyzed for a wider panel of genes. One group of these cells expressed endothelial genes (FLK-1, CD31) while another group expressed late cardiac genes (TNNT2, ACTC1). In conclusion, human C-kit+CD45- cells were predominantly localized to the right atrium. While most of these cells expressed endothelial genes, a minor portion expressed cardiac genes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Chemistry and Transfusion Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden. Electronic address: joakim.sandstedt@gu.se.
authors.forename: Joakim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sandstedt
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Chemistry and Transfusion Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jonsson
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Göran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dellgren
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Chemistry and Transfusion Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lindahl
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jeppsson
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Chemistry and Transfusion Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Asp
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D019070:Cell Lineage; D002469:Cell Separation; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000166:cytology; D006801:Humans; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D032386:Myoblasts, Cardiac / Q000166:cytology*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000166:cytology*; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D059010:Single-Cell Analysis
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens; C516769:PTPRC protein, human
keywords: Atrium; Cardiac stem cells; FACS; Heart; Human; SEM; SP; Side Population; Single-cell qPCR; qPCR; quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction; standard error of the mean