title: Understanding the role of growth factors in modulating stem cell tenogenesis.
abstract: Current treatments for tendon injuries often fail to fully restore joint biomechanics leading to the recurrence of symptoms, and thus resulting in a significant health problem with a relevant social impact worldwide. Cell-based approaches involving the use of stem cells might enable tailoring a successful tendon regeneration outcome. As growth factors (GFs) powerfully regulate the cell biological response, their exogenous addition can further stimulate stem cells into the tenogenic lineage, which might eventually depend on stem cells source. In the present study we investigate the tenogenic differentiation potential of human- amniotic fluid stem cells (hAFSCs) and adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs) with several GFs associated to tendon development and healing; namely, EGF, bFGF, PDGF-BB and TGF-β1. Stem cells response to biochemical stimuli was studied by screening of tendon-related genes (collagen type I, III, decorin, tenascin C and scleraxis) and proteins found in tendon extracellular matrix (ECM) (Collagen I, III, and Tenascin C). Despite the fact that GFs did not seem to influence the synthesis of tendon ECM proteins, EGF and bFGF influenced the expression of tendon-related genes in hAFSCs, while EGF and PDGF-BB stimulated the genetic expression in hASCs. Overall results on cellular alignment morphology, immunolocalization and PCR analysis indicated that both stem cell source can be biochemically induced towards tenogenic commitment, validating the potential of hASCs and hAFSCs for tendon regeneration strategies.
authors.affiliation: 3B's Research Group, Department of Polymer Engineering, Univ. of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Guimarães, Portugal ; ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ana I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.affiliation: 3B's Research Group, Department of Polymer Engineering, Univ. of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Guimarães, Portugal ; ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.
authors.forename: Márcia T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.affiliation: Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States of America.
authors.forename: Sang-Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States of America.
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Atala
authors.affiliation: Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States of America.
authors.forename: James J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.affiliation: 3B's Research Group, Department of Polymer Engineering, Univ. of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Guimarães, Portugal ; ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.
authors.forename: Rui L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Reis
authors.affiliation: 3B's Research Group, Department of Polymer Engineering, Univ. of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Guimarães, Portugal ; ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.
authors.forename: Manuela E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Gomes
mesh_terms: D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000166:cytology; D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000378:metabolism; D024061:Collagen Type III / Q000378:metabolism; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism; D058575:Decorin / Q000378:metabolism; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D021381:Protein Transport; D012038:Regeneration; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D019063:Tenascin / Q000378:metabolism; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy; D013710:Tendons / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D024042:Collagen Type I; D024061:Collagen Type III; D058575:Decorin; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D019063:Tenascin; C093504:SCX protein, human