title: Role of Wnt signaling on proliferation of menstrual blood derived stem cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Menstrual blood derived stem cells (MenSCs) are unique stem cells that have been isolated and identified recently. The special traits of MenSCs can be related to the cell signaling pathways. In this study, in order to find out the role of Wnt signaling on MenSCs proliferation, we evaluated ß-catenin expression as a key participant in Wnt signaling pathway in response to Lithium chloride (LiCl).
  
  
  METHODS
  MenSCs were isolated from healthy women by combining gradient density centrifugation with plastic adherence. After characterization of the isolated cells, cell proliferation of MenSCs in presence of 10-15 mM LiCl was evaluated by MTT assay. ß-catenin expression of the treated cells was examined using immunofluorescence technique.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Flow cytometric analysis revealed that both mesenchymal and embryonic stem cell markers are expressed on menstrual blood stem cells. MTT value decreased depending on the LiCl concentration. The proliferation of MenSCs cultivated in culture media containing 15mM LiCl was approximately two fold less than those grown without LiCl (p<0.01). Moreover, nuclear accumulation of ß-catenin protein in cells treated by LiCl was greater than cells without LiCl.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The MenSCs are stem cell populations with high proliferation ability and unique immunophenotyping properties. Our results demonstrated that Wnt signaling pathway regulates MenSCs proliferation via trans-localization of activated-ß-catenin protein.
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Biotechnology Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute , ACECR, Tehran, Iran . ; Paramedical Faculty of Guilan University of Medical Sciences , Langroud, Guilan, Iran .
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kazemnejad
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Biotechnology Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute , ACECR, Tehran, Iran .
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khanmohammadi
authors.affiliation: Nanobiotechnology Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute , ACECR, Tehran, Iran .
authors.forename: Ah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zarnani
authors.affiliation: Paramedical Faculty of Guilan University of Medical Sciences , Langroud, Guilan, Iran .
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nikokar
authors.affiliation: Paramedical Faculty of Guilan University of Medical Sciences , Langroud, Guilan, Iran .
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saghari
keywords: Lithium chloride; Menstrual blood derived stem cells; proliferation; ß-catenin