Umbilical cord mesenchymal stromal cells affected by gestational diabetes mellitus display premature aging and mitochondrial dysfunction

Bone development in fetuses with intrauterine growth restriction caused by maternal endocrine-metabolic dysfunctions

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) affects a large proportion of infants, particularly in underdeveloped countries. Among the main causes of IUGR, maternal endocrine-metabolic dysfunction is highlighted, either due to its high incidence or due to the severity of the immediate and mediated changes that these dysfunctions cause in the fetus and the mother. Although the effects of endocrine and metabolic disorders have been widely researched, there are still no reviews that bring together and summarize the effects of these conditions on bone development in cases of IUGR. Therefore, the present literature review was conducted with the aim of discussing bone changes observed in fetuses with IUGR caused by maternal endocrine-metabolic dysfunction. The main endocrine dysfunctions that occur with IUGR include maternal hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, and hypoparathyroidism. Diabetes mellitus, hypertensive disorders, and obesity are the most important maternal metabolic dysfunctions that compromise fetal growth. The bone changes reported in the fetus are, for the most part, due to damage to cell proliferation and differentiation, as well as failures in the synthesis and mineralization of the extracellular matrix, which results in shortening and fragility of the bones. Some maternal dysfunctions, such as hyperthyroidism, have been widely studied, whereas conditions such as hypoparathyroidism and gestational hypertensive disorders require further study regarding the mechanisms underlying the development of bone changes. Similarly, there is a gap in the literature regarding changes related to intramembranous ossification, as most published articles only describe changes in endochondral bone formation associated with IUGR. Furthermore, there is a need for more research aimed at elucidating the late postnatal changes that occur in the skeletons of individuals affected by IUGR and their possible relationships with adult diseases, such as osteoarthritis and osteoporosis.

Optimizing Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Regenerative Medicine: Influence of Diabetes, Obesity, Autoimmune, and Inflammatory Conditions on Therapeutic Efficacy: A Review

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a promising tool that may be used in regenerative medicine. Thanks to their ability to differentiate and paracrine signaling, they can be used in the treatment of many diseases. Undifferentiated MSCs can support the regeneration of surrounding tissues through secreted substances and exosomes. This is possible thanks to the production of growth factors. These factors stimulate the growth of neighboring cells, have an anti-apoptotic effect, and support angiogenesis, and MSCs also have an immunomodulatory effect. The level of secreted factors may vary depending on many factors. Apart from the donor's health condition, it is also influenced by the source of MSCs, methods of harvesting, and even the banking of cells. This work is a review of research on how the patient's health condition affects the properties of obtained MSCs. The review discusses the impact of the patient's diabetes, obesity, autoimmune diseases, and inflammation, as well as the impact of the source of MSCs and methods of harvesting and banking cells on the phenotype, differentiation capacity, anti-inflammatory, angiogenic effects, and proliferation potential of MSCs. Knowledge about specific clinical factors allows for better use of the potential of stem cells and more appropriate targeting of procedures for collecting, multiplying, and banking these cells, as well as for their subsequent use. This article aims to review the characteristics, harvesting, banking, and paracrine signaling of MSCs and their role in diabetes, obesity, autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, and potential role in regenerative medicine.

Mesenchymal stem cells-derived exosomes alleviate senescence of retinal pigment epithelial cells by activating PI3K/AKT-Nrf2 signaling pathway in early diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a major cause of vision loss and blindness in adults. Cellular senescence was involved in the pathogenesis of early-stage DR and is positively correlated with progression. Thus, our study aimed at exploring the effect and potential mechanism of Mesenchymal stem cells-derived exosomes (MSCs-EXOs) on Retinal Pigment Epithelial (RPE) cells senescence at an early stage of DR in vivo and in vitro. ARPE-19 cells were incubated in high glucose (HG) medium mixed with MSCs-EXOs to observe the changes in cell viability. Senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) staining, Western blot and qRT-PCR were used to assess the expression of senescence-related genes and antioxidant mediators. Quantitative Real-Time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), Optical coherence tomography (OCT) Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining and Electroretinogram (ERG) were respectively used to verify cellular senescence, the structure and function of the retina. Our findings demonstrated that MSCs-EXOs inhibited HG-induced senescence in ARPE-19 cells. Furthermore, MSCs-EXOs reduced HG-induced cell apoptosis and oxidative stress levels while promoting cell proliferation. Mechanistically, HG suppressed PI3K/AKT phosphorylation as well as nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) expression along with its downstream target gene expression in ARPE-19 cells. However, MSCs-EXOs reversed these changes by alleviating cellular senescence while enhancing antioxidant activity. In line with our results in vitro, MSCs-EXOs significantly ameliorated hyperglycemia-induced senescence in DR mice by downregulating mRNA expression of P53, P21, P16, and SASP. Additionally, MSCs-EXOs improved the functional and structural integrity of the retina in DR mice. Our study revealed the protective effect of MSCs-EXOs on cellular senescence, offering new insights for the treatment of DR.

Emerging Landscape of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Senescence Mechanisms and Implications on Therapeutic Strategies

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) hold significant promise for regenerative medicine and tissue engineering due to their unique multipotent differentiation ability and immunomodulatory properties. MSC therapy is widely discussed and utilized in clinical treatment. However, during both in vitro expansion and in vivo transplantation, MSCs are prone to senescence, an irreversible growth arrest characterized by morphological, gene expression, and functional changes in genomic regulation. The microenvironment surrounding MSCs plays a crucial role in modulating their senescence phenotype, influenced by factors such as hypoxia, inflammation, and aging status. Numerous strategies targeting MSC senescence have been developed, including senolytics and senomorphic agents, antioxidant and exosome therapies, mitochondrial transfer, and niche modulation. Novel approaches addressing replicative senescence have also emerged. This paper comprehensively reviews the current molecular manifestations of MSC senescence, addresses the environmental impact on senescence, and highlights potential therapeutic strategies to mitigate senescence in MSC-based therapies. These insights aim to enhance the efficacy and understanding of MSC therapies.

Implications of maternal-fetal health on perinatal stem cell banking

Cell based therapies are being assessed for their therapeutic potential across a variety of diseases. Gestational tissues are attractive sources for cell therapy. The large number of births worldwide ensures sufficient access to gestational tissues, however, limited information has been reported around the impact of birth trends, delivery methods and pregnancy conditions on perinatal stem cell banking. This review describes the current state of banking of gestational tissues and their derived perinatal stem cells, discusses why the changes in birth trends and delivery methods could affect gestational tissue banking practices, and further explores how common pregnancy complications can potentially influence perinatal stem cell banking.

Beneficial Effect of Sirolimus-Pretreated Mesenchymal Stem Cell Implantation on Diabetic Retinopathy in Rats

BACKGROUND

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a vision-threatening complication that affects virtually all diabetic patients. Various treatments have been attempted, but they have many side effects and limitations. Alternatively, stem cell therapy is being actively researched, but it faces challenges due to a low cell survival rate. In this study, stem cells were pretreated with sirolimus, which is known to promote cell differentiation and enhance the survival rate. Additionally, the subconjunctival route was employed to reduce complications following intravitreal injections.

METHODS

Diabetes mellitus was induced by intraperitoneal injection of 55 mg/kg of streptozotocin (STZ), and DR was confirmed at 10 weeks after DM induction through electroretinogram (ERG). The rats were divided into four groups: intact control group (INT), diabetic retinopathy group (DR), DR group with subconjunctival MSC injection (DR-MSC), and DR group with subconjunctival sirolimus-pretreated MSC injection (DR-MSC-S). The effects of transplantation were evaluated using ERG and histological examinations.

RESULTS

The ERG results showed that the DR-MSC-S group did not significantly differ from the INT in b-wave amplitude and exhibited significantly higher values than the DR-MSC and DR groups (p < 0.01). The flicker amplitude results showed that the DR-MSC and DR-MSC-S groups had significantly higher values than the DR group (p < 0.01). Histological examination revealed that the retinal layers were thinner in the DR-induced groups compared to the INT group, with the DR-MSC-S group showing the thickest retinal layers among them.

CONCLUSIONS

Subconjunctival injection of sirolimus-pretreated MSCs can enhance retinal function and mitigate histological changes in the STZ-induced DR rat model.

The mitochondria‒paraspeckle axis regulates the survival of transplanted stem cells under oxidative stress conditions

Rationale: Stem cell-based therapies have emerged as promising tools for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, but their therapeutic efficacy is largely limited by the oxidative stress-induced loss of transplanted cells at injured tissue sites. To address this issue, we aimed to explore the underlying mechanism and protective strategy of ROS-induced MSC loss. Methods: Changes in TFAM (mitochondrial transcription factor A) signaling, mitochondrial function, DNA damage, apoptosis and senescence in MSCs under oxidative stress conditions were assessed using real-time PCR, western blotting and RNA sequencing, etc. The impact of TFAM or lncRNA nuclear paraspeckle assembly transcript 1 (NEAT1) knockdown or overexpression on mitochondrial function, DNA damage repair, apoptosis and senescence in MSCs was also analyzed. The effect of mitochondrion-targeted antioxidant (Mito-TEMPO) on the survival of transplanted MSCs was evaluated in a mouse model of renal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. Results: Mitochondrial ROS (mtROS) bursts caused defects in TFAM signaling and overall mitochondrial function, which further impaired NEAT1 expression and its mediated paraspeckle formation and DNA repair pathways in MSCs, thereby jointly promoting MSC senescence and death under oxidative stress. In contrast, targeted inhibition of the mtROS bursts is a sufficient strategy for attenuating early transplanted MSC loss at injured tissue sites, and coadministration of Mito-TEMPO improved the local retention of transplanted MSCs and reduced oxidative injury in ischemic kidneys. Conclusions: This study identified the critical role of the mitochondria‒paraspeckle axis in regulating cell survival and may provide insights into developing advanced stem cell therapies for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

Umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells from gestational diabetes show impaired ability to up-regulate paracellular permeability from sub-endothelial niche

In vitro studies have shown that Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSCs) can cross umbilical and uterine endothelial barriers and up-regulate endothelial junctional integrity from sub-endothelial niches. This pericytic behaviour may be lost in pregnancies complicated by gestational diabetes (GDM), where increased vascular permeability and junctional disruption are reported. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether WJ-MSCs isolated from GDM pregnancies displayed any changes in morphology, proliferation, VEGF-A secretion, and their ability to influence paracellular junctional composition and permeability. WJ-MSCs were isolated from human umbilical cords from normal pregnancies (nWJ-MSCs, n=13) and those complicated by GDM (gWJ-MSCs), either diet-controlled (d-GDM, n=13) or metformin-treated (m-GDM, n=9). We recorded that 4-fold more WJ-MSCs migrated from m-GDM, and 2.5-fold from d-GDM cord samples compared with the normal pregnancy. gWJ-MSCs showed a less predominance of spindle-shaped morphology and secreted 3.8-fold more VEGF-A compared with nWJ-MSCs. The number of cells expressing CD105 (Endoglin) was higher in gWJ-MSCs compared with nWJ-MSCs (17%) at P-2. The tracer leakage after 24 h across the HUVEC + gWJ-MSCs bilayer was 22.13% and 11.2% higher in the m-GDM and d-GDM, respectively, HUVEC + nWJ-MSCs. Transfection studies with siRNAs that target Endoglin were performed in n-WJ-MSCs; transfected cells were co-cultured with HUVEC followed by permeability studies and VE-cadherin analyses. Loss of Endoglin also led to increased VEGF-A secretion, increased permeability and affected endothelial stabilization. These results reinforce the pericytic role of nWJ-MSCs to promote vascular repair and the deficient ability of gWJ-MSCs to maintain endothelial barrier integrity.

Phytic acid improves osteogenesis and inhibits the senescence of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells under high-glucose conditions via the ERK pathway

Hyperglycaemia causes impairment of osteogenic differentiation and accelerates stem cell senescence, resulting in weakened osteogenesis and disordered bone metabolism. Phytic acid (PA) is an antioxidant that is reportedly beneficial to bone homeostasis. The present study aims to clarify how PA affects the osteogenic capacity and cellular senescence of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) exposed to high-glucose environments, as well as the potential molecular mechanisms. Our results indicate that osteogenic differentiation in BMSCs cultivated in high-glucose conditions is enhanced by PA, as evidenced by increased alkaline phosphatase activity and staining, Alizarin Red S staining, osteogenic marker in in vitro studies, and increased osteogenesis in animal experiments. PA also prevented high-glucose-induced senescence of BMSCs, as evidenced by the repression of reactive oxygen species production, senescence-associated β-galactosidase staining, and P21 and P53 expression. Furthermore, it was found that PA rescued the high-glucose-inhibited expression of phosphorylated extracellular regulated protein kinases (p-ERK). The inhibition of ERK pathway by the specific inhibitor PD98059 blocked the PA-enhanced osteogenesis of BMSCs and promoted cell senescence. Our results revealed that PA enhances osteogenic differentiation and inhibits BMSC senescence in a high-glucose environment. In addition, the activation of the ERK pathway seems to mediate the beneficial effects of PA. The findings provide novel insights that could facilitate bone regeneration in patients with diabetes.

Enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of mesenchymal stem cell transplantation in diabetes: Amelioration of mitochondrial dysfunction-induced senescence

Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation offers significant potential for the treatment of diabetes mellitus (DM) and its complications. However, hyperglycemic conditions can induce senescence and dysfunction in both transplanted and resident MSCs, thereby limiting their therapeutic potential. Mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress are key contributors to this process in MSCs exposed to hyperglycemia. As such, strategies aimed at mitigating mitochondrial dysfunction could enhance the therapeutic efficacy of MSC transplantation in DM. In this review, we provide an updated overview of how mitochondrial dysfunction mediates MSC senescence. We present experimental evidence for the molecular mechanisms behind high glucose-induced mitochondrial dysfunction in MSCs, which include impairment of mitochondrial biogenesis, mitochondrial calcium regulation, the mitochondrial antioxidant system, mitochondrial fusion-fission dynamics, mitophagy, and intercellular mitochondrial transfer. Furthermore, we propose potential pharmacological candidates that could improve the efficacy of MSC transplantation by enhancing mitochondrial function in patients with DM and related complications.

N6-methyladenosine (M6A) in fetal offspring modifies mitochondrial gene expression following gestational nano-TiO2 inhalation exposure

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most prominent epitranscriptomic modification to RNA in eukaryotes, but it's role in adaptive changes within the gestational environment are poorly understood. We propose that gestational exposure to nano titanium dioxide (TiO2) contributes to cardiac m6A methylation in fetal offspring and influences mitochondrial gene expression. 10-week-old pregnant female FVB/NJ wild-type mice underwent 6 nonconsecutive days of whole-body inhalation exposure beginning on gestational day (GD) 5. Mice were exposed to filtered room air or nano-TiO2 with a target aerosol mass concentration of 12 mg/m3. At GD 15 mice were humanely killed and cardiac RNA and mitochondrial proteins extracted. Immunoprecipitation with m6A antibodies was performed followed by sequencing of immunoprecipitant (m6A) and input (mRNA) on the Illumina NextSeq 2000. Protein extraction, preparation, and LC-MS/MS were used for mitochondrial protein quantification. There were no differences in maternal or fetal pup weights, number of pups, or pup heart weights between exposure and control groups. Transcriptomic sequencing revealed 3648 differentially expressed mRNA in nano-TiO2 exposed mice (Padj ≤ 0.05). Transcripts involved in mitochondrial bioenergetics were significantly downregulated (83 of 85 genes). 921 transcripts revealed significant m6A methylation sites (Padj ≤ 0.10). 311 of the 921 mRNA were identified to have both 1) significantly altered expression and 2) differentially methylated sites. Mitochondrial proteomics revealed decreased expression of ATP Synthase subunits in the exposed group (P ≤ 0.05). The lack of m6A modifications to mitochondrial transcripts suggests a mechanism for decreased transcript stability and reduced protein expression due to gestational nano-TiO2 inhalation exposure.

Nurturing through Nutrition: Exploring the Role of Antioxidants in Maternal Diet during Pregnancy to Mitigate Developmental Programming of Chronic Diseases

Chronic diseases represent one of the major causes of death worldwide. It has been suggested that pregnancy-related conditions, such as gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), maternal obesity (MO), and intra-uterine growth restriction (IUGR) induce an adverse intrauterine environment, increasing the offspring's predisposition to chronic diseases later in life. Research has suggested that mitochondrial function and oxidative stress may play a role in the developmental programming of chronic diseases. Having this in mind, in this review, we include evidence that mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress are mechanisms by which GDM, MO, and IUGR program the offspring to chronic diseases. In this specific context, we explore the promising advantages of maternal antioxidant supplementation using compounds such as resveratrol, curcumin, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), and Mitoquinone (MitoQ) in addressing the metabolic dysfunction and oxidative stress associated with GDM, MO, and IUGR in fetoplacental and offspring metabolic health. This approach holds potential to mitigate developmental programming-related risk of chronic diseases, serving as a probable intervention for disease prevention.

Mesenchymal Stem Cell Senescence during Aging:From Mechanisms to Rejuvenation Strategies

In cell transplantation therapy, mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs)are ideal seed cells due to their easy acquisition and cultivation, strong regenerative capacity, multi-directional differentiation abilities, and immunomodulatory effects. Autologous MSCs are better applicable compared with allogeneic MSCs in clinical practice. The elderly are the main population for cell transplantation therapy, but as donor aging, MSCs in the tissue show aging-related changes. When the number of generations of in vitro expansion is increased, MSCs will also exhibit replicative senescence. The quantity and quality of MSCs decline during aging, which limits the efficacy of autologous MSCs transplantation therapy. In this review, we examine the changes in MSC senescence as a result of aging, discuss the progress of research on mechanisms and signalling pathways of MSC senescence, and discuss possible rejuvenation strategies of aged MSCs to combat senescence and enhance the health and therapeutic potential of MSCs.

Tacrolimus Improves Therapeutic Efficacy of Umbilical Cord Blood-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Diabetic Retinopathy by Suppressing DRP1-Mediated Mitochondrial Fission

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a leading cause of blindness in diabetic patients. Umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UCB-MSCs) are emerging as a promising new drug for degenerative disease associated with diabetes. Recent studies have shown that high glucose-increased excessive calcium levels are a major risk factor for mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) accumulation and apoptosis. This study aimed to investigate the role of high glucose-induced NFATC1 signaling in mitochondrial oxidative stress-stimulated apoptosis and the effect of tacrolimus on the therapeutic efficacy of subconjunctival transplantation of UCB-MSCs in a DR rat model. High glucose increased mtROS and cleaved caspase-9 expression in UCB-MSCs. High glucose conditions increased O-GlcNAcylated protein expression and nuclear translocation of NFATC1. Tacrolimus pretreatment recovered high glucose-induced mtROS levels and apoptosis. In the DR rat model, subconjunctival transplantation of tacrolimus-pretreated MSCs improved retinal vessel formation, retinal function, and uveitis. In high glucose conditions, tacrolimus pretreatment reduced protein and mRNA expression levels of DRP1 and inhibited mitochondrial fission. In conclusion, we demonstrated that high glucose-induced O-GlcNAcylation activates NFATC1 signaling, which is important for DRP1-mediated mitochondrial fission and mitochondrial apoptosis. Finally, we proposed NFATC1 suppression by tacrolimus as a promising therapeutic strategy to improve the therapeutic efficacy of UCB-MSC transplantation for DR treatment.

Quality Control Optimization for Minimizing Security Risks Associated with Mesenchymal Stromal Cell-Based Product Development

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have been considered a therapeutic strategy in regenerative medicine because of their regenerative and immunomodulatory properties. The translation of MSC-based products has some challenges, such as regulatory and scientific issues. Quality control should be standardized and optimized to guarantee the reproducibility, safety, and efficacy of MSC-based products to be administered to patients. The aim of this study was to develop MSC-based products for use in clinical practice. Quality control assays include cell characterization, cell viability, immunogenicity, and cell differentiation; safety tests such as procoagulant tissue factor (TF), microbiological, mycoplasma, endotoxin, genomic stability, and tumorigenicity tests; and potency tests. The results confirm that the cells express MSC markers; an average cell viability of 96.9%; a low expression of HLA-DR and costimulatory molecules; differentiation potential; a high expression of TF/CD142; an absence of pathogenic microorganisms; negative endotoxins; an absence of chromosomal abnormalities; an absence of genotoxicity and tumorigenicity; and T-lymphocyte proliferation inhibition potential. This study shows the relevance of standardizing the manufacturing process and quality controls to reduce variability due to the heterogeneity between donors. The results might also be useful for the implementation and optimization of new analytical techniques and automated methods to improve safety, which are the major concerns related to MSC-based therapy.

Effect of Resveratrol on Pregnancy, Prenatal Complications and Pregnancy-Associated Structure Alterations

Adverse pregnancy outcomes are considered significant health risks for pregnant women and their offspring during pregnancy and throughout their lifespan. These outcomes lead to a perturbated in-utero environment that impacts critical phases of the fetus's life and correlates to an increased risk of chronic pathological conditions, such as diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases, in both the mother's and adult offspring's life. The dietary intake of naturally occurring antioxidants promotes health benefits and disease prevention. In this regard, maternal dietary intake of polyphenolic antioxidants is linked to a reduced risk of maternal obesity and cardio-metabolic disorders, positively affecting both the fetus and offspring. In this work, we will gather and critically appraise the current literature highlighting the effect/s of the naturally occurring polyphenol antioxidant resveratrol on oxidative stress, inflammation, and other molecular and physiological phenomena associated with pregnancy and pregnancy conditions, such as gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and preterm labor. The resveratrol impact on prenatal complications and pregnancy-associated structures, such as the fetus and placenta, will also be discussed. Finally, we will draw conclusions from the current knowledge and provide future perspectives on potentially exploiting resveratrol as a therapeutic tool in pregnancy-associated conditions.

Elucidating the Focal Immunomodulatory Clues Influencing Mesenchymal Stem Cells in the Milieu of Intervertebral Disc Degeneration

The intervertebral discs (IVDs) are a relatively mobile joint that interconnects vertebrae of the spine. Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is one of the leading causes of low back pain, which is most often related to patient morbidity as well as high medical costs. Patients with chronic IVDD often need surgery that may sometimes lead to biomechanical complications as well as augmented degeneration of the adjacent segments. Moreover, treatment modalities like rigid intervertebral fusion, dynamic instrumentation, as well as other surgical interventions are still controversial. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have exhibited to have immunomodulatory functions and the ability to differentiate into cartilage, making these cells possibly an epitome for IVD regeneration. Transplanted MSCs were able to repair IVDD back to the normal disc milieu via the activation of the generation of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins such as aggrecan, proteoglycans and collagen types I and II. IVD milieu clues like, periostin, cluster of differentiation, tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukins, chemokines, transforming growth factor beta, reactive oxygen species, toll-like receptors, tyrosine protein kinase receptor and disialoganglioside, exosomes are capable of influencing the MSCs during treatment of IVDD. ECM microenvironment clues above have potentials as biomarkers as well as accurate molecular targets for therapeutic intervention in IVDD.

Aging of mesenchymal stem cell: machinery, markers, and strategies of fighting

Human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are primary multipotent cells capable of differentiating into osteocytes, chondrocytes, and adipocytes when stimulated under appropriate conditions. The role of MSCs in tissue homeostasis, aging-related diseases, and cellular therapy is clinically suggested. As aging is a universal problem that has large socioeconomic effects, an improved understanding of the concepts of aging can direct public policies that reduce its adverse impacts on the healthcare system and humanity. Several studies of aging have been carried out over several years to understand the phenomenon and different factors affecting human aging. A reduced ability of adult stem cell populations to reproduce and regenerate is one of the main  contributors to the human aging process. In this context, MSCs senescence is a major challenge in front of cellular therapy advancement. Many factors, ranging from genetic and metabolic pathways to extrinsic factors through various cellular signaling pathways, are involved in regulating the mechanism of MSC senescence. To better understand and reverse cellular senescence, this review highlights the underlying mechanisms and signs of MSC cellular senescence, and discusses the strategies to combat aging and cellular senescence.

Mesenchymal stromal cells as a tool to unravel the developmental origins of disease

The intrauterine environment can induce alterations of the epigenome that have a lasting impact on disease risk. Current human studies in the field focus on a single epigenetic mark, DNA methylation, measured in blood. For in-depth mechanistic insight into the developmental origins of disease, it will be crucial to consider innovative tissue types. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) may serve as a novel tool to investigate the full epigenome beyond DNA methylation, to explore other omics levels, and to perform functional assays. Moreover, MSCs can be differentiated into multiple cell types and thereby mimic otherwise inaccessible cell types. A first wave of studies supports the potential of MSCs and illustrates how the innovative use of this cell type may be incorporated in birth cohorts.

Fatty acids of type 2 diabetic serum decrease the stemness properties of human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells

In type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia and increased serum free fatty acids (FFAs) exacerbate the development of the disease through a negative effect on insulin secretion. Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AdMSCs) play a key role in regenerative medicine, and these cells can potentially be applied as novel therapeutic resources in the treatment of diabetes. In this study, AdMSCs were treated with diabetic or nondiabetic serum FFAs isolated from women of menopausal age. Serum FFAs were analyzed using gas-liquid chromatography. The expression level of the stemness markers CD49e and CD90 and the Wnt signaling target genes Axin-2 and c-Myc were evaluated using real-time PCR. The proliferation rate and colony formation were also assessed using a BrdU assay and crystal violet staining, respectively. The level of glutathione was assessed using cell fluorescence staining. Compared to nondiabetic serum, diabetic serum contained a higher percentage of oleate (1.5-fold, p < 0.01). In comparison with nondiabetic FFAs, diabetic FFAs demonstrated decreasing effects on the expression of CD90 (-51%, p < 0.001) and c-Myc (-48%, p < 0.05), and proliferation rate (-35%, p < 0.001), colony formation capacity (-50%, p < 0.01), and GSH levels (-62%, p < 0.05). The negative effect of the FFAs of diabetic serum on the stemness characteristics may impair the regenerative capabilities of AdMSCs.

Defects in energy metabolism are associated with functional exhaustion of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in cirrhosis

OBJECTIVES

Cellular and functional exhaustion of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSC) is significantly associated with the loss of HSCs and hepatic osteodystrophy in cirrhosis. The molecular mechanisms underlying the dysfunction of BM-MSCs are not well understood. We investigated the underlying mechanisms of cellular and functional exhaustion of BM-MSCs in cirrhosis.

METHODS

The MSCs were isolated retrospectively from bone marrow of decompensated alcoholic cirrhosis patients {(Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01902511) (n=10; MELD=16.2±2.3; CTP=8.7±2.3)} and age and gender-matched healthy controls (n=8). Global gene expression profile of healthy bone marrow MSCs (hBM-MSCs) and cirrhosis patients BM-MSCs (cBM-MSCs) were done by mRNA sequencing. XFe24-bioanalyzer analyzed the bioenergetic potential of cells. Level of different cytokines and growth factors in BM-plasma and MSCs secretome were analyzed by Luminex-based bead array.

RESULTS

Analysis of differentially expressed genes showed significant (P<0.01) up-regulation of genes associated with ubiquitination and catabolism of proteins; TNF signaling, insulin resistance, and down-regulation of genes associated with DNA repair, protein processing, cell cycle, and mitochondrial respiration in cBM-MSCs in comparison to hBM-MSCs. Compared to hBM-MSCs, cBM-MSCs showed a significant defect in glycolysis due to insulin resistance and poor glucose uptake (P=0.002). This led to compromised self-renewal capacity and cellular loss of MSCs in cirrhosis. cBM-MSCs also showed a significant impairment in Oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) due to mitochondrial dysfunction leading to defects in the osteogenic differentiation with early aging and senescence.

CONCLUSION

Compromised energy metabolism due to inflammatory and metabolic stress-induced insulin resistance underlies the cellular and functional exhaustion of BM-MSCs in cirrhosis.

Exogenous melatonin prevents type 1 diabetes mellitus-induced bone loss, probably by inhibiting senescence

Exogenous melatonin inhibited the senescence of preosteoblast cells in type 1 diabetic (T1D) mice and those cultured in high glucose (HG) by multiple regulations. Exogenous melatonin had a protective effect on diabetic osteoporosis, which may depend on the inhibition of senescence.

INTRODUCTION

Senescence is thought to play an important role in the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying diabetic bone loss. Increasing evidence has shown that melatonin exerts anti-senescence effects. In this study, we investigated whether melatonin can inhibit senescence and prevent diabetic bone loss.

METHODS

C57BL/6 mice received a single intraperitoneal injection of 160 mg/kg streptozotocin, followed by the oral administration of melatonin or vehicle for 2 months. Then, tissues were harvested and subsequently examined. MC3T3-E1 cells were cultured under HG conditions for 7 days and then treated with melatonin or not for 24 h. Sirt1-specific siRNAs and MT1- or MT2-specific shRNA plasmids were transfected into MC3T3-E1 cells for mechanistic study.

RESULTS

The total protein extracted from mouse femurs revealed that melatonin prevented senescence in T1D mice. The micro-CT results indicated that melatonin prevented bone loss in T1D mice. Cellular experiments indicated that melatonin administration prevented HG-induced senescence, whereas knockdown of the melatonin receptors MT1 or MT2 abolished these effects. Sirt1 expression was upregulated by melatonin administration but significantly reduced after MT1 or MT2 was knocked down. Knockdown of Sirt1 blocked the anti-senescence effects of melatonin. Additionally, melatonin promoted the expression of CDK2, CDK4, and CyclinD1, while knockdown of MT1 or MT2 abolished these effects. Furthermore, melatonin increased the expression of the polycomb repressive complex (PRC), but knockdown of MT1 or MT2 abolished these effects. Furthermore, melatonin increased the protein levels of Sirt1, PRC1/2 complex-, and cell cycle-related proteins.

CONCLUSION

This work shows that melatonin protects against T1D-induced bone loss, probably by inhibiting senescence. Targeting senescence in the investigation of diabetic osteoporosis may lead to novel discoveries.

The angiogenic properties of human amniotic membrane stem cells are enhanced in gestational diabetes and associate with fetal adiposity

Background

An environment of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) can modify the phenotype of stem cell populations differentially according to their placental localization, which can be useful to study the consequences for the fetus. We sought to explore the effect of intrauterine GDM exposure on the angiogenic properties of human amniotic membrane stem cells (hAMSCs).

Methods

We comprehensively characterized the angiogenic phenotype of hAMSCs isolated from 14 patients with GDM and 14 controls with normal glucose tolerance (NGT). Maternal and fetal parameters were also recorded. Hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia and palmitic acid were used to in vitro mimic a GDM-like pathology. Pharmacological and genetic inhibition of protein function was used to investigate the molecular pathways underlying the angiogenic properties of hAMSCs isolated from women with GDM.

Results

Capillary tube formation assays revealed that GDM-hAMSCs produced a significantly higher number of nodes (P = 0.004), junctions (P = 0.002) and meshes (P < 0.001) than equivalent NGT-hAMSCs, concomitant with an increase in the gene/protein expression of FGFR2, TGFBR1, SERPINE1 and VEGFA. These latter changes were recapitulated in NGT-hAMSCs exposed to GDM-like conditions. Inhibition of the protein product of SERPINE1 (plasminogen activator inhibitor 1, PAI-1) suppressed the angiogenic properties of GDM-hAMSCs. Correlation analyses revealed that cord blood insulin levels in offspring strongly correlated with the number of nodes (r = 0.860; P = 0.001), junctions (r = 0.853; P = 0.002) and meshes (r = 0.816; P = 0.004) in tube formation assays. Finally, FGFR2 levels correlated positively with placental weight (r = 0.586; P = 0.028) and neonatal adiposity (r = 0.496; P = 0.014).

Conclusions

GDM exposure contributes to the angiogenic abilities of hAMSCs, which are further related to increased cord blood insulin and fetal adiposity. PAI-1 emerges as a potential key player of GDM-induced angiogenesis.

Efficient hepatic differentiation and regeneration potential under xeno-free conditions using mass-producible amnion-derived mesenchymal stem cells

BACKGROUND

Amnion-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AM-MSCs) are an attractive source of stem cell therapy for patients with irreversible liver disease. However, there are obstacles to their use due to low efficiency and xeno-contamination for hepatic differentiation.

METHODS

We established an efficient protocol for differentiating AM-MSCs into hepatic progenitor cells (HPCs) by analyzing transcriptome-sequencing data. Furthermore, to generate the xeno-free conditioned differentiation protocol, we replaced fetal bovine serum (FBS) with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). We investigated the hepatocyte functions with the expression of mRNA and protein, secretion of albumin, and activity of CYP3A4. Finally, to test the transplantable potential of HPCs, we transferred AM-MSCs along with hepatic progenitors after differentiated days 11, 12, and 13 based on the expression of hepatocyte-related genes and mitochondrial function. Further, we established a mouse model of acute liver failure using a thioacetamide (TAA) and cyclophosphamide monohydrate (CTX) and transplanted AM-HPCs in the mouse model through splenic injection.

RESULTS

We analyzed gene expression from RNA sequencing data in AM-MSCs and detected downregulation of hepatic development-associated genes including GATA6, KIT, AFP, c-MET, FGF2, EGF, and c-JUN, and upregulation of GSK3. Based on this result, we established an efficient hepatic differentiation protocol using the GSK3 inhibitor, CHIR99021. Replacing FBS with PVA resulted in improved differentiation ability, such as upregulation of hepatic maturation markers. The differentiated hepatocyte-like cells (HLCs) not only synthesized and secreted albumin, but also metabolized drugs by the CYP3A4 enzyme. The best time for translation of AM-HPCs was 12 days from the start of differentiation. When the AM-HPCs were transplanted into the liver failure mouse model, they settled in the damaged livers and differentiated into hepatocytes.

CONCLUSION

This study offers an efficient and xeno-free conditioned hepatic differentiation protocol and shows that AM-HPCs could be used as transplantable therapeutic materials. Thus, we suggest that AM-MSC-derived HPCs are promising cells for treating liver disease.

The Effect of Resveratrol on Blood Glucose and Blood Lipids in Rats with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Background

Previous studies have reported that resveratrol has various biological effects such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antitumor. This study aimed to investigate the effects of resveratrol on blood glucose and blood lipids in rats with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

Methods

The rat diabetes model was prepared by one-time intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ, 35 mg/kg). Fasting blood glucose was measured by using a blood glucose meter. The ELISA method was used to detect the levels of insulin, leptin, adiponectin, resistin, TNF-α, and IL-6. The content of TC, TG, LDL-C, and HDL-C was determined by using an automatic biochemical detector.

Results

Compared with the GDM group, the insulin level in the resveratrol (120 and 240 mg/kg) treatment group was significantly increased. But, the blood glucose level and body weight were significantly reduced. The content of TC, TG, and LDL-C in the resveratrol (240 mg/kg) treatment group was significantly reduced, and the content of HDL-C was significantly increased. In addition, leptin, resistin, TNF-α, and IL-6 levels in the 240 mg/kg resveratrol treatment group were significantly reduced, and adiponectin was significantly increased. Also, resveratrol (240 mg/kg) was stronger than metformin hydrochloride in improving insulin secretion and regulating blood lipids and adipokine content.

Conclusion

Resveratrol has a dose-dependent effect on GDM rats to increase insulin secretion, reduce blood glucose and body weight, and regulate blood lipids and plasma adipokines.

Metabolic Disease Programming: From Mitochondria to Epigenetics, Glucocorticoid Signalling and Beyond

Embryonic and foetal development are critical periods of development in which several environmental cues determine health and disease in adulthood. Maternal conditions and an unfavourable intrauterine environment impact foetal development and may programme the offspring for increased predisposition to metabolic diseases and other chronic pathologic conditions throughout adult life. Previously, non-communicable chronic diseases were only associated with genetics and lifestyle. Now the origins of non-communicable chronic diseases are associated with early-life adaptations that produce long-term dysfunction. Early-life environment sets the long-term health and disease risk and can span through multiple generations. Recent research in developmental programming aims at identifying the molecular mechanisms responsible for developmental programming outcomes that impact cellular physiology and trigger adulthood disease. The identification of new therapeutic targets can improve offspring's health management and prevent or overcome adverse consequences of foetal programming. This review summarizes recent biomedical discoveries in the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) hypothesis and highlight possible developmental programming mechanisms, including prenatal structural defects, metabolic (mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, protein modification), epigenetic and glucocorticoid signalling-related mechanisms suggesting molecular clues for the causes and consequences of programming of increased susceptibility of offspring to metabolic disease after birth. Identifying mechanisms involved in DOHaD can contribute to early interventions in pregnancy or early childhood, to re-set the metabolic homeostasis and break the chain of subsequent events that could lead to the development of disease.

Role of Hyperglycemia in the Senescence of Mesenchymal Stem Cells

The regenerative and immunomodulatory properties of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have laid a sound foundation for their clinical application in various diseases. However, the clinical efficiency of MSC treatments varies depending on certain cell characteristics. Among these, the roles of cell aging or senescence cannot be excluded. Despite their stemness, evidence of senescence in MSCs has recently gained attention. Many factors may contribute to the senescence of MSCs, including MSC origin (biological niche), donor conditions (age, obesity, diseases, or unknown factors), and culture conditions in vitro. With the rapidly increasing prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), the effects of hyperglycemia on the senescence of MSCs should be evaluated to improve the application of autologous MSCs. This review aims to present the available data on the senescence of MSCs, its relationship with hyperglycemia, and the strategies to suppress the senescence of MSCs in a hyperglycemic environment.

The effect of vascular complications of diabetes mellitus on human umbilical cord tissue and the number of Wharton Jelly's mesenchymal stem cells

The current study investigated the change in umbilical cord tissue and the number of markers of Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSC) in pregnant women with gestational diabetes (GDM), with chronic diabetes who developed nephropathy as vascular complication (VC-PGDM), and healthy pregnant women as the control. The umbilical cords (UC) were investigated by the histomorphological method and the number of WJ-MSC were detected by flow-cytometry using the CD90, CD44, CD105, and CD73 markers in Wharton's jelly (WJ) isolated from fresh umbilical cords. The number of positive cells for CD 90, CD44, CD105, and CD73 were found to be elevated in the GDM group, whereas it was significantly diminished in the VC-PGDM group (p = 0.001, p = 0.001, p = 0.001, and p = 0.001). The only histopathological sign in the GDM group were an increased number of pores in the Wharton jelly. Artery wall thickness/cord diamater ratio was increased, which indicates an increase of the artery wall thickness in the VC- PGDM group (p = 0.039 and p = 0.048). The increase in umbilical cord diameter and number of Wharton jelly mesenchymal stem cells in babies of gestational diabetic mothers was considered as an effect of macrosomia seen in babies of mothers with gestational diabetes. Vasculopathy, a long-term complication of diabetes, is known to affect all tissues by causing marked lower perfusion and hypoxia, as well as a decrease in the MSC number in our study.

Peptidome analysis of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell (hUC-MSC) conditioned medium from preterm and term infants

Background

The therapeutic role of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) has been widely confirmed in several animal models of premature infant diseases. Micromolecule peptides have shown promise for the treatment of premature infant diseases. However, the potential role of peptides secreted from MSCs has not been studied. The purpose of this study is to help to broaden the knowledge of the hUC-MSC secretome at the peptide level through peptidomic profile analysis.

Methods

We used tandem mass tag (TMT) labeling technology followed by tandem mass spectrometry to compare the peptidomic profile of preterm and term umbilical cord MSC (hUC-MSC) conditioned medium (CM). Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis and ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) were conducted to explore the differentially expressed peptides by predicting the functions of their precursor proteins. To evaluate the effect of candidate peptides on human lung epithelial cells stimulated by hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), western blot analysis, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were, respectively, adopted to detect inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6) expression levels at the mRNA and protein levels.

Results

A total of 131 peptides derived from 106 precursor proteins were differentially expressed in the preterm hUC-MSC CM compared with the term group, comprising 37 upregulated peptides and 94 downregulated peptides. Bioinformatics analysis showed that these differentially expressed peptides may be associated with developmental disorders, inflammatory response, and organismal injury. We also found that peptides ⁷¹¹⁸TGAKIKLVGT⁷¹²⁷ derived from MUC19 and ⁵⁰⁸AAAAGPANVH⁵¹⁷ derived from SIX5 reduced the expression levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in H₂O₂-treated human lung epithelial cells.

Conclusions

In summary, this study provides further secretomics information on hUC-MSCs and provides a series of peptides that might have antiinflammatory effects on pulmonary epithelial cells and contribute to the prevention and treatment of respiratory diseases in premature infants.

Changes in Stemness Properties, Differentiation Potential, Oxidative Stress, Senescence and Mitochondrial Function in Wharton's Jelly Stem Cells of Umbilical Cords of Mothers with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has been associated with an increased risk of maternal and neonatal morbidity. The Wharton's jelly (WJ) of the umbilical cord (UC) is a useful indicator of the deleterious effects of hyperglycemia on fetal tissues as it represents the fetus embryologically, physiologically and genetically. We studied WJ mesenchymal stem cells (hWJSCs) from UC from mothers without GDM (Normal; n = 3); insulin-controlled GDM mothers (GDMi; n = 3) and diet-controlled GDM mothers (GDMd; n = 3)]. Cell proliferation, stemness markers, telomerase, osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation, antioxidant enzymes and gene expression for mitochondrial function (ND2, TFAM, PGC1α, and NDUFB9) were significantly lower in GDMi-hWJSCs and GDMd-hWJSCs compared to normal hWJSCs (P < 0.05). On the other hand, cell cycle inhibitors (p16, p21, p27) and p53 were remarkably up-regulated in GDMi-hWJSCs and GDMd-hWJSCs compared to normal hWJSCs. The results from this study confirmed that maternal hyperglycemia even though managed with insulin or diet, induced changes in the properties of the WJ and its cells. These changes may also be observed in fetal tissues and if true, prevention of the onset of gestational diabetes should be a priority over management. Generation of tissues that simulate those of the fetus such as pancreatic and cardiovascular cells from GDM-hWJSCs by direct differentiation or via induced pluripotent stem cell reprogramming provide possible platforms to evaluate the effects of glucose on specific fetal organ.

Tissues derived from reprogrammed Wharton's jelly stem cells of the umbilical cord as a platform to study gestational diabetes mellitus

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has been strongly associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in later child and adulthood. The human umbilical cord and its contents are of fetal origin and represent the fetus genetically and physiologically. Since it is not possible to obtain tissues from the fetus and newborn to investigate the association between GDM and later T2DM, we reprogrammed the stem cells from the Wharton's jelly of umbilical cords (hWJSCs) of GDM and non-GDM mothers into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and then differentiated the iPSCs into insulin-producing cells (IPCs) to provide pancreatic tissues that represent the fetus of GDM and normal mothers. These tissues are an attractive model to study the effects of glucose on the fetus. Interestingly, GDM-iPSCs had a decreased potential towards differentiation into IPCs. IPCs differentiated from GDM-iPSCs also had lower total insulin content and a lower capacity for insulin secretion to glucose stimulation compared to their normal-iPSC counterparts. This abnormal pathogenesis in GDM-iPSCs pancreatic differentiation recapitulates the pathology that may be observed in the infants of the diabetic mother (IDM) and while indicating adaptive mechanisms for fetal survival, may lead to the development of T2DM later in life. (199 words).

Hepatogenic Potential and Liver Regeneration Effect of Human Liver-derived Mesenchymal-Like Stem Cells

Human liver-derived stem cells (hLD-SCs) have been proposed as a possible resource for stem cell therapy in patients with irreversible liver diseases. However, it is not known whether liver resident hLD-SCs can differentiate toward a hepatic fate better than mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) obtained from other origins. In this study, we compared the differentiation ability and regeneration potency of hLD-SCs with those of human umbilical cord matrix-derived stem cells (hUC-MSCs) by inducing hepatic differentiation. Undifferentiated hLD-SCs expressed relatively high levels of endoderm-related markers (GATA4 and FOXA1). During directed hepatic differentiation supported by two small molecules (Fasudil and 5-azacytidine), hLD-SCs presented more advanced mitochondrial respiration compared to hUC-MSCs. Moreover, hLD-SCs featured higher numbers of hepatic progenitor cell markers on day 14 of differentiation (CPM and CD133) and matured into hepatocyte-like cells by day 7 through 21 with increased hepatocyte markers (ALB, HNF4A, and AFP). During in vivo cell transplantation, hLD-SCs migrated into the liver of ischemia-reperfusion injury-induced mice within 2 h and relieved liver injury. In the thioacetamide (TAA)-induced liver injury mouse model, transplanted hLD-SCs trafficked into the liver and spontaneously matured into hepatocyte-like cells within 14 days. These results collectively suggest that hLD-SCs hold greater hepatogenic potential, and hepatic differentiation-induced hLD-SCs may be a promising source of stem cells for liver regeneration.

Developmental programming of mitochondrial biology: a conceptual framework and review

Research on mechanisms underlying the phenomenon of developmental programming of health and disease has focused primarily on processes that are specific to cell types, organs and phenotypes of interest. However, the observation that exposure to suboptimal or adverse developmental conditions concomitantly influences a broad range of phenotypes suggests that these exposures may additionally exert effects through cellular mechanisms that are common, or shared, across these different cell and tissue types. It is in this context that we focus on cellular bioenergetics and propose that mitochondria, bioenergetic and signalling organelles, may represent a key cellular target underlying developmental programming. In this review, we discuss empirical findings in animals and humans that suggest that key structural and functional features of mitochondrial biology exhibit developmental plasticity, and are influenced by the same physiological pathways that are implicated in susceptibility for complex, common age-related disorders, and that these targets of mitochondrial developmental programming exhibit long-term temporal stability. We conclude by articulating current knowledge gaps and propose future research directions to bridge these gaps.

Placental mesenchymal stromal cells as an alternative tool for therapeutic angiogenesis

Dysregulation of angiogenesis is a phenomenon observed in several disorders such as diabetic foot, critical limb ischemia and myocardial infarction. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) possess angiogenic potential and have recently emerged as a powerful tool for cell therapy to promote angiogenesis. Although bone marrow-derived MSCs are the primary cell of choice, obtaining them has become a challenge. The placenta has become a popular alternative as it is a highly vascular organ, easily available and ethically more favorable with a rich supply of MSCs. Comparatively, placenta-derived MSCs (PMSCs) are clinically promising due to their proliferative, migratory, clonogenic and immunomodulatory properties. PMSCs release a plethora of cytokines and chemokines key to angiogenic signaling and facilitate the possibility of delivering PMSC-derived exosomes as a targeted therapy to promote angiogenesis. However, there still remains the challenge of heterogeneity in the isolated populations, questions on the maternal or fetal origin of these cells and the diversity in previously reported isolation and culture conditions. Nonetheless, the growing rate of clinical trials using PMSCs clearly indicates a shift in favor of PMSCs. The overall aim of the review is to highlight the importance of this rather poorly understood cell type and emphasize the need for further investigations into their angiogenic potential as an alternative source for therapeutic angiogenesis.

Gestational diabetes impacts fetal precursor cell responses with potential consequences for offspring

Fetal programming has been proposed as a key mechanism underlying the association between intrauterine exposure to maternal diabetes and negative health outcomes in offspring. To determine whether gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) might leave an imprint in fetal precursors of the amniotic membrane and whether it might be related to adverse outcomes in offspring, a prospective case‐control study was conducted, in which amniotic mesenchymal stem cells (AMSCs) and resident macrophages were isolated from pregnant patients, with either GDM or normal glucose tolerance, scheduled for cesarean section. After characterization, functional characteristics of AMSCs were analyzed and correlated with anthropometrical and clinical variables from both mother and offspring. GDM‐derived AMSCs displayed an impaired proliferation and osteogenic potential when compared with control cells, accompanied by superior invasive and chemotactic capacity. The expression of genes involved in the inflammatory response (TNFα, MCP‐1, CD40, and CTSS) was upregulated in GDM‐derived AMSCs, whereas anti‐inflammatory IL‐33 was downregulated. Macrophages isolated from the amniotic membrane of GDM mothers consistently showed higher expression of MCP‐1 as well. In vitro studies in which AMSCs from healthy control women were exposed to hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, and palmitic acid confirmed these results. Finally, genes involved in the inflammatory response were associated with maternal insulin sensitivity and prepregnancy body mass index, as well as with fetal metabolic parameters. These results suggest that the GDM environment could program stem cells and subsequently favor metabolic dysfunction later in life. Fetal adaptive programming in the setting of GDM might have a direct negative impact on insulin resistance of offspring.

Potential use of stem cells for fertility preservation

BACKGROUND

Infertility and gonadal dysfunction can result from gonadotoxic therapies, environmental exposures, aging, or genetic conditions. In men, non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) results from defects in the spermatogenic process that can be attributed to spermatogonial stem cells (SSC) or their niche, or both. While assisted reproductive technologies and sperm banking can enable fertility preservation (FP) in men of reproductive age who are at risk for infertility, FP for pre-pubertal patients remains experimental. Therapeutic options for NOA are limited. The rapid advance of stem cell research and of gene editing technologies could enable new FP options for these patients. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC), SSC, and testicular niche cells, as well as mesenchymal stromal cells (aka medicinal signaling cells, MSCs), have been investigated for their potential use in male FP strategies.

OBJECTIVE

Here, we review the benefits and challenges for three types of stem cell-based approaches under investigation for male FP, focusing on the role that promising sources of MSC derived from human umbilical cord, specifically human umbilical cord perivascular cells (HUCPVC), could fulfill. These approaches are as follows: 1. isolation and ex vivo expansion of autologous SSC for in vivo transplantation or in vitro spermatogenesis; 2. in vitro differentiation toward germ cell and testicular somatic cell lineages using autologous SSC, or stem cells such iPSC or MSC; and 3. protection or regeneration of the spermatogenic niche after gonadotoxic insults in vivo.

CONCLUSION

Our studies suggest that HUCPVC are promising sources of cells that could be utilized in multiple aspects of male FP strategies.

Therapeutic effect of mesenchymal stem cells derived from human umbilical cord in rabbit temporomandibular joint model of osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative condition of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) characterised by chronic inflammation and damage to joint structures. Because of the complexity of TMJ-OA, only symptomatic treatments are currently available. Recent reports have shown that many of stem cells can exert anti-inflammatory and tissue-regenerating effects. In this study, we investigated the potential cartilage-regenerating and anti-inflammatory effects of human umbilical cord matrix-mesenchymal stem cells (hUCM-MSCs) for the treatment of TMJ-OA. hUCM-MSC lines, isolated from different donors, which showed different activities in vitro. Using a selected cell line, we used different concentrations of hUCM-MSCs to assess therapeutic effects in a rabbit model of monosodium iodoacetate-induced TMJ-OA. Compared with the untreated control group, the potential regenerative result and anti-inflammatory effects of hUCM-MSCs were evident at all the tested concentrations in rabbits with induced TMJ-OA. The median dose of hUCM-MSCs showed the prominent cartilage protective effect and further cartilage regeneration potential. This effect occurred via upregulated expression of growth factors, extracellular matrix markers, and anti-inflammatory cytokines, and reduced expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines. The anti-inflammatory effect of hUCM-MSCs was comparable to that of dexamethasone (DEX). However, only hUCM-MSCs showed potential chondrogenesis effects in this study. In conclusion, our results indicate that hUCM-MSCs may be an effective treatment option for the treatment of TMJ-OA.

Sources, Identification, and Clinical Implications of Heterogeneity in Human Umbilical Cord Stem Cells

Heterogeneity among different subpopulations of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell (hUCMSCs) lines is an ubiquitous phenomenon, with such variability being related to several factors including the identity of the individual donor, tissue source (Wharton's jelly vs. umbilical cord blood), culture conditions, as well as random variations in the cloning expansion process. In this chapter, we provide a general overview on the sources as well as available experimental techniques for proper identification of heterogeneity in hUCMSCs. Finally, we provide a brief discussion on the current scientific evidence regarding the potential superiority of subpopulations of hUCMSCs for specific clinical applications. Taking into account the exponential growth on the available experimental data on hUCMSCs in the past few years, this chapter is not intended to be comprehensive in nature, but rather is intended to provide a general overview about the central role which the topic of heterogeneity has in both basic science and clinical research in umbilical cord stem cells.

Umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stromal cells in cardiovascular disease: review of preclinical and clinical data

The human umbilical cord has recently emerged as an attractive potential source of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) to be adopted for use in regenerative medicine. Umbilical cord MSCs (UC-MSCs) not only share the same features of all MSCs such as multi-lineage differentiation, paracrine functions and immunomodulatory properties, they also have additional advantages, such as no need for bone marrow aspiration and higher self-renewal capacities. They can be isolated from various compartments of the umbilical cord (UC) and can be used for autologous or allogeneic purposes. In the past decade, they have been adopted in cardiovascular disease and have shown promising results mainly due to their pro-angiogenic and anti-inflammatory properties. This review offers an overview of the biological properties of UC-MSCs describing available pre-clinical and clinical data with respect to their potential therapeutic use in cardiovascular regeneration, with current challenges and future directions discussed.

Chorionic and amniotic membrane-derived stem cells have distinct, and gestational diabetes mellitus independent, proliferative, differentiation, and immunomodulatory capacities

Placental membrane-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), with the advantages of being non-invasive and having fewer ethical issues, are a promising source for cell therapy. Gestational diabetes (GDM) alters the uterine environment and may affect the therapeutic potential of MSCs derived from placenta. Therefore, we evaluated the biological properties of amniotic (AMSCs) and chorionic membrane MSCs (CMSCs) from human GDM placenta in order to explore their therapeutic potential. In comparison of GDM-/Healthy- CMSCs and AMSCs, the immunophenotypes and typical stellate morphology of MSC were similar in CMSCs irrespective of disease state while the MSC morphology in GDM-AMSCs was less evident. GDM- and Healthy- CMSCs displayed an enhanced proliferation rate and tri-lineage differentiation capacity compared with AMSCs. Notably, GDM-CMSCs had a significantly increased adipogenic ability than Healthy-CMSCs accompanied by increased transcriptional responsiveness of PPARγ and ADIPOQ induction. The secretome effect of Healthy- and GDM- CMSCs/AMSCs by using conditioned media and coculture experiments, suggests that GDM- and Healthy- CMSCs provided an equivalent immunoregulatory effect on suppressing T-cells activation but a reduced effect of GDM-CMSCs on macrophage regulation. However, Healthy- and GDM- CMSCs displayed a superior immunomodulatory capacity in regulation of both T-cells and macrophages than AMSCs. In summary, we highlight the importance of the maternal GDM intrauterine environment during pregnancy and its impact on CMSCs/AMSCs proliferation ability, CMSCs adipogenic potential, and macrophage regulatory capacity.

Hyperglycemia differentially affects proliferation, apoptosis, and BNIP3 and p53 mRNA expression of human umbilical cord Wharton's jelly cells from non-diabetic and diabetic pregnancies

Diabetes in pregnancy constitutes an unfavorable environment for embryonic and fetal development, where the child has a higher risk of perinatal morbidity and mortality, with high incidence of congenital malformations and predisposition to long-term metabolic diseases that increase with a hypercaloric diet. To analyze whether hyperglycemia differentially affects proliferation, apoptosis, and mRNA expression in cells from children of normoglycemic pregnancies (NGPs) and diabetes mellitus pregnancies (DMPs), we used umbilical cord Wharton jelly cells as a research model. Proliferation assays were performed to analyze growth and determine the doubling time, and the rate of apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry-annexin-V assays. AMPK, BNIP3, HIF1α, and p53 mRNA gene expression was assessed by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. We found that hyperglycemia decreased proliferation in a statistically significant manner in NGP cells treated with 40 mM D-glucose and in DMP cells treated with 30 and 40 mM D-glucose. Apoptosis increased in hyperglycemic conditions in NGP and DMP cells. mRNA expression of BNIP3 and p53 was significantly increased in cells from DMPs but not in cells from NGPs. We found evidence that maternal irregular metabolic conditions, like diabetes with hyperglycemia in culture, affect biological properties of fetal cells. These observations could be a constituent of fetal programming.

Comparison of Preterm and Term Wharton's Jelly-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cell Properties in Different Oxygen Tensions

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have shown promise as therapeutic agents in treating morbidities associated with premature birth. MSCs derived from the human umbilical cord are easy to isolate and have low immunogenicity and a robust ability to secrete paracrine factors. To date, there are no studies evaluating preterm versus term umbilical cord tissue-derived MSCs. Therefore, our aim was twofold: (1) to compare stem cell properties in preterm versus term MSCs and (2) to examine the impact of oxygen tension on stem cell behavior. Umbilical cord tissue was obtained from 5 preterm and 5 term neonates. The cells were isolated and characterized as MSCs in accordance with the International Society for Cellular Therapy. We exposed MSCs to different oxygen tensions to examine the impact of environmental factors on cell performance. We studied the following stem cell properties: (i) motility, (ii) proliferation, (iii) senescence, (iv) cell viability, (v) colony-forming unit efficiency, and (vi) inflammatory cytokine expression. Under normoxia (21% O2), cells from preterm and term infants had similar properties. Under hypoxic conditions (1% O2), term MSCs had better cell proliferation; however, cells exposed to hyperoxia (90% O2) had the slowest motility and lowest cell viability (p < 0.05). There was no difference in the expression of senescence or cytokine expression between the groups. The term cells demonstrated more colony-forming efficiency than the preterm cells. In sum, our preliminary findings suggest that MSCs derived from term and preterm umbilical cords have similar characteristics, offering the potential of future autologous/allogeneic MSC transplants in neonates.

Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Characteristics and Regenerative Potential in Cardiovascular Disease: Implications for Cellular Therapy

Administration of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) is a promising strategy to treat cardiovascular disease (CVD). As progenitor cells may be negatively affected by both age and comorbidity, characterization of MSC function is important to guide decisions regarding use of allogeneic or autologous cells. Definitive answers on which factors affect MSC function can also aid in selecting which MSC donors would yield the most therapeutically efficacious MSCs. Here we provide a narrative review of MSC function in CVD based on a systematic search. A total of 41 studies examining CVD-related MSC (dys)function were identified. These data show that MSC characteristics and regenerative potential are often affected by CVD. However, studies presented conflicting results, and directed assessment of MSC parameters relevant to regenerative medicine applications was lacking in many studies. The predictive ability of in vitro assays for in vivo efficacy was rarely assessed. There was no correlation between quality of study reporting and study findings. Age mismatch was also not associated with study findings or effect size. Future research should focus on assays that assess regenerative potential in MSCs and parameters that relate to clinical success.

Effects of Hexachlorophene, a Chemical Accumulating in Adipose Tissue, on Mouse and Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells

The hexachlorophene (HCP) is a highly lipophilic chlorinated bisphenol present in hygienic and dermatological products. The HCP accumulates preferentially in adipose tissue that is a privileged source of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). The evaluation of the potential effects of HCP on MSCs is important for their medical application. Here we examined the effects of HCP on murine adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ADSCs) and human umbilical cord-derived stem cells (UCSCs) in cell culture. We found that 10⁻⁴ and 10⁻⁵ M HCP inhibits proliferation, osteogenesis and increases apoptosis of ADSCs and UCSCs. While the effect of HCP on proliferation and differentiation potential of these two cell lines was similar, the UCSCs appeared much more resistant to HCP-induced apoptosis than ADSCs. These results suggest that the adipose tissue-derived ADSCs have higher sensitive for HCP than umbilical cord-derived UCSCs and indicate that the umbilical cord can be a preferable source of MSCs for prospective medical applications in the future.