title: Flk-1⁺Sca-1⁻ mesenchymal stem cells: functional characteristics in vitro and regenerative capacity in vivo.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) represent a powerful tool in regenerative medicine because of their differentiation and migration capacities. We aimed to investigate the possibility of Flk-1(+)Sca-1(-) mesenchymal stem cells (Flk-1(+)Sca-1(-) MSCs) transplantation to repair erectile function in patients suffering from diabetes mellitus (DM)-associated erectile dysfunction (ED).
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, we isolated Flk-1(+)Sca-1(-) MSCs from bone marrow (bMSCs). Then, newborn male rats were intraperitoneally injected with 5-ethynyl-2-deoxyuridine for the purpose of tracking endogenous Flk-1(+)Sca-1(-) MSCs. Eight weeks later, 8 of these rats were randomly chosen to serve as normal control (N group). The remaining rats were injected intraperitoneally with 60 mg/kg of streptozotocin (STZ) to induce DM. Eight of these rats were randomly chosen to serve as DM control (DM group) while another 8 rats were subject to Flk-1(+)Sca-1(-) MSCs treatment (DM+MSC group). All rats were evaluated for erectile function by intracavernous pressure (ICP) measurement. Afterward, their penile tissues were examined by histology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Flk-1(+)Sca-1(-) MSCs could differentiate into skeletal muscle cells and endothelial cells in vivo and in vitro. Engrafted Flk-1(+)Sca-1(-) MSCs were shown to home to injured muscle, participate in myofibers repair and could partially reconstitute the sarcolemmal expression of myocardin and ameliorate the level of related specific pathological markers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Flk-1(+)Sca-1(-) MSCs could be used in the treatment erectile function in diabetes mellitus associated erectile dysfunction by promoting regeneration of nNOS-positive nerves, endothelium, and smooth muscle in the penis.
authors.affiliation: Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese Medicine & Western Medicine, Southern Medical University Guangzhou 510315, China.
authors.forename: Yugang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese Medicine & Western Medicine, Southern Medical University Guangzhou 510315, China.
authors.forename: Enshan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese Medicine & Western Medicine, Southern Medical University Guangzhou 510315, China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese Medicine & Western Medicine, Southern Medical University Guangzhou 510315, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoguang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Medical Center for Overseas Patients, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University Guangzhou 510515, China.
authors.forename: Anyang
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wei
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000067696:Ataxin-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000628:therapy*; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000150:complications; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D008297:Male; D045164:Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018101:Mice, Inbred mdx; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000473:pathology; D009137:Muscular Dystrophy, Animal / Q000628:therapy; D051381:Rats; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000067696:Ataxin-1; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2
keywords: Flk-1+Sca-1- mesenchymal stem cells (Flk-1+Sca-1- MSCs); diabetes mellitus (DM); erectile dysfunction (ED); myocardin; nNOS