成体心脏干细胞经静脉移植后在心梗小鼠体内的分布研究

目的：观察心肌梗死小鼠静脉移植成体心脏干细胞后,细胞在小鼠体内各器官的分布情况。明确心梗后静脉移植成体心脏干 细胞在小鼠体内的分布和归巢情况。方法：分离培养小鼠心脏成体干细胞,采用流式细胞仪鉴定细胞,通过亲脂性染料CM-DiI标 记细胞后行小鼠急性心肌梗死模型建立和细胞移植,分别在细胞移植后7、14、8 天取小鼠心脏、肝脏、脑、脊髓、肺脏,行冰冻切 片,在荧光显微镜下观察移植细胞在各组织器官存活和分布情况。结果：成体心脏干细胞分离培养后呈贴壁生长,流式细胞仪检 测显示细胞纯度>80%。CM-DiI标记后荧光显微镜下观察可见标记的细胞胞浆胞核均被染成呈明亮的红色。心肌梗死后经静脉 移植成体心脏干细胞,细胞在各组织中分布呈变化过程,7 天时,在肺脏和肝脏分布较多,至14 天和28 天时,肺脏和肝脏分布减 少,心脏分布逐渐增多,表现出向心脏的" 归巢" 现象,而脑和脊髓在28 天的观察时间内分布较少。结论：采用CM-DiI标记心 脏成体干细胞,操作简单,标记效果好,可用于短期的细胞体内追踪。小鼠心肌梗死后行经静脉成体心脏干细胞移植,28 天后细胞 在心脏的分布逐渐增多,表现出向心脏的" 归巢" 现象。     

Pre-induced adult human peripheral blood mononuclear cells migrate widely into the degenerative retinas of rd1 mice

Background aimsRecent advances in stem cell research have raised the possibility of stem cells repairing or replacing retinal photoreceptor cells that are either dysfunctional or lost in many retinal diseases. Various types of stem cells have been used to replace retinal photoreceptor cells. Recently, peripheral blood stem cells, a small proportion of pluripotent stem cells, have been reported to mainly exist in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).MethodsIn this study, the effects of pre-induced adult human PBMCs (hPBMCs) on the degenerative retinas of rd1 mice were investigated. Freshly isolated adult hPBMCs were pre-induced with the use of the conditioned medium of rat retinas for 4 days and were then labeled with chloromethyl-benzamidodialkylcarbocyanine (CM-DiI) and then transplanted into the subretinal space of the right eye of rd1 mice through a trans-scleral approach. The right eyes were collected 30 days after transplantation. The survival and migration of the transplanted cells in host retinas were investigated by whole-mount retinas, retinal frozen sections and immunofluorescent staining.ResultsAfter subretinal transplantation, pre-induced hPBMCs were able to survive and widely migrate into the retinas of rd1 mice. A few CM-DiI–labeled cells migrated into the inner nuclear layer and the retinal ganglion cell layer. Some transplanted cells in the subretinal space of rd1 host mice expressed the human photoreceptor–specific marker rhodopsin.ConclusionsThis study suggests that pre-induced hPBMCs may be a potential cell source of cell replacement therapy for retinal degenerative diseases.     

Capability of cultivated human hair-follicle cells to integrate with skin structure in vivo

In the present work, we labeled human epidermal keratinocytes and dermal papilla cells in order to study their behavior after intradermal transplantation. The cells were transduced by lentiviral vectors that bore a marker gene that encodes green fluorescent protein (copGFP) or red fluorescent protein (DsRed). A portion of the transgene expressing cells was evaluated by flow cytometry. The proposed genetic constructions have allowed one to achieve high efficiency (>95%) of the transduction of hair follicle cells. The in vitro transduced cells were injected under epidermis of human skin fragments, after which these fragments were transplanted under the skin of immunodeficient mice. The injected epidermal keratinocytes were found mainly in hair follicles and partially in the zone of interfollicular epidermis, while dermal papilla cells were found in the papilla of the derma. The results of the present study have shown that the chosen genetic constructions obtained based on human immunodeficiency lentivirus are capable of the effective and stable transduction of human skin cells. The injected cells survived and were found in the corresponding skin structures.     

A transgenic red fluorescent protein‐expressing nude mouse for color‐coded imaging of the tumor microenvironment

The tumor microenvironment (TME) is critical for tumor growth and progression. We have previously developed color‐coded imaging of the TME using a green fluorescent protein (GFP) transgenic nude mouse as a host. However, most donor sources of cell types appropriate for study in the TME are from mice expressing GFP. Therefore, a nude mouse expressing red fluorescent protein (RFP) would be an appropriate host for transplantation of GFP‐expressing stromal cells as well as double‐labeled cancer cells expressing GFP in the nucleus and RFP in the cytoplasm, thereby creating a three‐color imaging model of the TME. The RFP nude mouse was obtained by crossing non‐transgenic nude mice with the transgenic C57/B6 mouse in which the β‐actin promoter drives RFP (DsRed2) expression in essentially all tissues. In crosses between nu/nu RFP male mice and nu/+ RFP female mice, the embryos fluoresced red. Approximately 50% of the offspring of these mice were RFP nude mice. In the RFP nude mouse, the organs all brightly expressed RFP, including the heart, lungs, spleen, pancreas, esophagus, stomach, duodenum, the male and female reproductive systems; brain and spinal cord; and the circulatory system, including the heart, and major arteries and veins. The skinned skeleton highly expressed RFP. The bone marrow and spleen cells were also RFP positive. GFP‐expressing human cancer cell lines, including HCT‐116‐GFP colon cancer and MDA‐MB‐435‐GFP breast cancer were orthotopically transplanted to the transgenic RFP nude mice. These human tumors grew extensively in the transgenic RFP nude mouse. Dual‐color fluorescence imaging enabled visualization of human tumor–host interaction. The RFP nude mouse model should greatly expand our knowledge of the TME. J. Cell. Biochem. 106: 279–284, 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Human amniotic fluid stem cells attract osteoprogenitor cells in bone healing

Current treatments of large bone defects are based on autologous or allogenic bone transplantation. Human amniotic fluid stem cells (hAFSCs) were evaluated for their potential in bone regenerative medicine. In this study, hAFSCs were transduced with lentiviral vector harboring red fluorescent protein to investigate their role in the regeneration of critical-size bone defects in calvarial mouse model. To distinguish donor versus recipient cells, a transgenic mouse model carrying GFP fluorescent reporter was used as recipient to follow the fate of hAFSCs transplanted in vivo into Healos® scaffold. Our results showed that transduced hAFSCs can be tracked in vivo directly at the site of transplantation. The presence of GFP positive cells in the scaffold at 3 and 6 weeks after transplantation indicates that donor hAFSCs can recruit host cells during the repair process. These observations help clarify the role of hAFSCs in bone tissue repair.     

Bone marrow transplantation results in donor-derived hepatocytes in an animal model of inherited cholestatic liver disease

Cell transplantation is a potential therapy for acquired or inherited liver diseases. Donor-derived hepatocytes (DDH) have been found in humans and mice after bone marrow transplantation (BMT) but with highly variable frequencies in different disease models. To test the effect of liver repopulation after BMT in inherited cholestatic liver diseases, spgp (sister of P-glycoprotein, or bile salt export pump, abcb11) knockout mice, a model for human progressive intrahepatic cholestasis type 2 with defects in excreting bile salts across the hepatocyte canalicular membrane, were transplanted with bone marrow cells from enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) transgenic donor mice after lethal irradiation. One to 6 months later, scattered EGFP-positive DDHs with positive spgp staining were observed in the liver. These hepatocytes had been incorporated into hepatic plates and stained positively with hepatocyte-specific marker albumin. RT-PCR for the spgp gene revealed positive expression in the liver of sgsp knockout mice that had received the transplant. Bile acid analysis of bile samples showed that these mice also had higher levels of total biliary bile acid and taurocholic acid concentration than knockout mice without transplantation, indicating that BMT partially improved biliary bile acid secretion. Our results indicate that bone marrow cells could serve as a potential source for restoration of hepatic functions in chronic metabolic liver disease.     

The tumourigenicity of iPS cells and their differentiated derivates

Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) provides a promising seeding cell for regenerative medicine. However, iPSC has the potential to form teratomas after transplantation. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate the tumorigenic risks of iPSC and all its differentiated derivates prior to use in a clinical setting. Here, murine iPSCs were transduced with dual reporter gene consisting of monomeric red fluorescent protein (mRFP) and firefly luciferase (Fluc). Undifferentiated iPSCs, iPSC derivates from induced differentiation (iPSC‐derivates), iPSC‐derivated cardiomyocyte (iPSC‐CMs) were subcutaneously injected into the back of nude mice. Non‐invasive bioluminescence imaging (BLI) was longitudinally performed at day 1, 7, 14 and 28 after transplantation to track the survival and proliferation of transplanted cells. At day 28, mice were killed and grafts were explanted to detect teratoma formation. The results demonstrated that transplanted iPSCs, iPSC‐derivates and iPSC‐CMs survived in receipts. Both iPSCs and iPSC‐derivates proliferated dramatically after transplantation, while only slight increase in BLI signals was observed in iPSC‐CM transplanted mice. At day 28, teratomas were detected in both iPSCs and iPSC‐derivates transplanted mice, but not in iPSC‐CM transplanted ones. In vitro study showed the long‐term existence of pluripotent cells during iPSC differentiation. Furthermore, when these cells were passaged in feeder layers as undifferentiated iPSCs, they would recover iPSC‐like colonies, indicating the cause for differentiated iPSC's tumourigenicity. Our study indicates that exclusion of tumorigenic cells by screening in addition to lineage‐specific differentiation is necessary prior to therapeutic use of iPSCs.     

Pyronin Y as a fluorescent stain for paraffin sections

Pyronin Y has long been used, in combination with other dyes such as Methyl Green, as a differential stain for nucleic acids in paraffin tissue sections. It also forms fluorescent complexes with double-stranded nucleic acids, especially RNA, enabling semi-quantitative analysis of cellular RNA in flow cytometry. However, the possibility of using pyronin Y as a fluorescent stain for paraffin tissue sections has rarely been investigated. We herein report that in sections stained with Methyl Green–pyronin Y, red blood cells, elastic fibre of blood vessels, zymogen granules of pancreatic acinar cells, surface membrane of heptocytes and kidney tubular cells showed strikingly strong green and/or red fluorescence, while the nuclei of cells appeared non-fluorescent. The use of confocal laser-scanning microscope greatly improved the resolution and selectivity of the fluorescent images. Staining with pyronin Y alone gave similar results in terms of fluorescence properties of the specimens. Pretreatment of paraffin sections with RNase significantly reduced cytoplasmic pyronin Y staining as judged by transmission light microscopy, but it had little effect on the fluorescence intensity of red blood cells, elastic fibres and zymogenbreak granules.     

A novel fluorescence detection method for in situ hybridization, based on the alkaline phosphatase-fast red reaction.

We have used naphthol-ASMX-phosphate and Fast Red TR in combination with alkaline phosphatase (APase) to produce fluorescent precipitated reaction products in a non-radioactive in situ hybridization (ISH) method. To obtain optimal and discrete localization of the strongly red fluorescent ISH signals, the enzyme precipitation procedure was optimized. The optimal reaction time and the concentrations of substrate and capture agent were determined. Furthermore, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) was used to increase the viscosity of the reaction mixture and thus to reduce diffusion of the reaction product. Our results show that the APase-Fast Red detection method has at least the same sensitivity as currently observed in other immunofluorescent detection systems. A single copy DNA sequence of 15.8 KB could be localized with high efficiency in metaphase spreads and in interphase nuclei. Double labeling procedures, in which the FITC- and azo-dye fluorescence are combined, are also feasible. The red fluorescent ISH signals showed hardly any fading as compared with FITC fluorescence on exposure to either light from the mercury-arc lamp or laser light. Therefore, these red fluorescent signals with a virtually permanent character allow a better analysis and three-dimensional localization of such cytochemically detected genomic fractions by means of confocal scanning laser microscopy as compared with the use of FITC, TRITC, or Texas Red as label.     

Pegylated, steptavidin-conjugated quantum dots are effective detection elements for reverse-phase protein microarrays

Protein microarray technologies provide a means of investigating the proteomic content of clinical biopsy specimens in order to determine the relative activity of key nodes within cellular signaling pathways. A particular kind of protein microarray, the reverse-phase microarray, is being evaluated in clinical trials because of its potential to utilize limited amounts of cellular material obtained through biopsy. Using this approach, cellular lysates are arrayed in dilution curves on nitrocellulose substrates for subsequent probing with antibodies. To improve the sensitivity and utility of reverse-phase microarrays, we tested whether a new reporter technology as well as a new detection instrument could enhance microarray performance. We describe the use of an inorganic fluorescent nanoparticle conjugated to streptavidin, Qdot 655 Sav, in a reverse-phase protein microarray format for signal pathway profiling. Moreover, a pegylated form of this bioconjugate, Qdot 655 Sav, is found to have superior detection characteristics in assays performed on cellular protein extracts over the nonpegylated form of the bioconjugate. Hyperspectral imaging of the quantum dot microarray enabled unamplified detection of signaling proteins within defined cellular lysates, which indicates that this approach may be amenable to multiplexed, high-throughput reverse-phase protein microarrays in which numerous analytes are measured in parallel within a single spot.     

Behavior of transplanted bone marrow-derived GFP mesenchymal cells in osteochondral defect as a simulation of autologous transplantation.

To elucidate the behavior of autologously transplanted mesenchymal cells in osteochondral defects, we followed transplanted cells using green fluorescent protein (GFP) transgenic rats, in which all cells express GFP signals in their cytoplasm and nuclei as transplantation donors. Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal cells, which contain mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), were obtained from transgenic rats. Then, dense mesenchymal cell masses created by hanging-drop culture were transplanted and fixed with fibrin glue into osteochondral defects of wild-type rats. At 24 weeks after surgery, the defects were repaired with hyaline-like cartilage and subchondral bone. GFP positive cells, indicating transplanted mesenchymal-derived cells, were observed in the regenerated tissues for 24 weeks although GFP positive cells decreased in number with time. Because GFP causes no immunological rejection and requires no chemicals for visualization, transplantation between transgenic and wild-type rats can be regarded as a simulation of autologous transplantation, and the survivability of transplanted cells are able to be followed easily and reliably. Thus, the behavior of transplanted mesenchymal cells was able to be elucidated in vivo by this strategy, and the results could be essential in future tissue engineering for the regeneration of osteochondral defects with original hyaline cartilage and subchondral bone.     

Differentiation of Apical Bud Cells in a Newly Developed Apical Bud Transplantation Model Using GFP Transgenic Mice as Donor

Rodent mandibular incisors have a unique anatomical structure that allows teeth to grow throughout the lifetime of the rodent. This report presents a novel transplantation technique for studying the apical bud differentiation of rodent mandibular incisors. Incisal apical end tissue with green fluorescent protein from transgenic mouse was transplanted to wild type mice, and the development of the transplanted cells were immunohistologically observed for 12 weeks after the transplantation. Results indicate that the green fluorescent apical end tissue replaced the original tissue, and cells from the apical bud differentiated and extended toward the incisal edge direction. The immunostaining with podoplanin also showed that the characteristics of the green fluorescent tissue were identical to those of the original. The green fluorescent cells were only found in the labial side of the incisor up to 4 weeks. After 12 weeks, however, they were also found in the lingual side. Here the green fluorescent cementocyte-like cells were only present in the cementum close to the dentin surface. This study suggests that some of the cells that form the cellular cementum come from the apical tissue including the apical bud in rodent incisors.     

Oligodendrocyte precursor cell transplantation into organotypic cerebellar shiverer slices: a model to study myelination and myelin maintenance

Current in vitro models to investigate the consequence of oligodendrocyte-specific loss-of-function mutations on myelination are primarily limited to co-culture experiments, which do not accurately recapitulate the complex in vivo environment. Here, we describe the development of an in vitro model of myelination and myelin maintenance in which oligodendrocyte precursor cells are transplanted into organotypic cerebellar slice cultures derived from dysmyelinated shiverer mice. Compared to neuron-oligodendrocyte co-cultures, organotypic slices more closely mimic the environment in vivo, while utilizing a genetic background that allows for straight-forward identification of myelin generated by transplanted cells. We show at the ultrastructural level that the myelin generated by wild-type transplanted oligodendrocytes is compact and terminates in cytoplasmic loops that form paranodal junctions with the axon. This myelination results in the appropriate sequestering of axonal proteins into specialized domains surrounding the nodes of Ranvier. We also demonstrate the applicability of this approach for xenograft transplantation of oligodendrocyte precursor cells derived from rat or human sources. This method provides a time-efficient and cost-effective adjunct to conditional knockout mouse lines or in vivo transplantation models to study oligodendrocyte-specific loss-of-function mutations. Furthermore, the approach can be readily used to assess the effect of pharmacological manipulations on myelin, providing a tool to better understand myelination and develop effective therapeutic strategies to treat myelin-related diseases.     

Evidence for crossing the blood barrier of adult rat brain by human adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells during a 6-month period of post-transplantation

Background aimsTherapeutic promises of adult stem cells have been overshadowed by an elicited immune response, low maintenance of implanted cells or concerns regarding their migration to non-target sites. These problems might be lessened by the use of immune privilege cells and tissues for implantation.MethodsIn this study, human adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (hADMSCs) were stably transfected with a vector containing Turbo green fluorescent protein (GFP) and JRed, which allows tracing the cells after transplantation. Labeled hADMSCs were transplanted into the adult rat brain followed by assessment of their survival and migration during 6 months after transplantation.ResultsResults indicate that there were no postsurgical complications, and the animals thrived after transplantation. The lesions of the surgical process were remarkable at the first weeks, and a high number of transplanted cells were accumulated around them. Cell populations declined over time as they partly migrated away from the injection sites; nonetheless, they were detectable at each examination time point. Although the cells could survive and remain at the injection site for up to 6 months, some of them drifted to spleen, which is an indication of their ability to cross the blood-brain barrier.ConclusionsDespite the high survival rate of hADMSCs in the xenogenic condition, which is an ideal criterion in cell therapy, irregular migration tendency must be handled with caution.     

Experimental study on ex vivo expanded hematopoietic stem/progenitor in the two step culture from human umbilical cord blood transplanted into NOD/SCID mice

The effects of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells(HSPCs)expanded in the two step coculture with human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells(hMSCs)on the hematopoietic reconstruction of irradiated NOD/SCID mice were studied.Mononuclear cells(MNCs)were isolated from human umbilical cord blood(UCB)and cultured in the non-coculture scheme of rhSCF+rhG-CSF +rhMDGF combination and the coculture scheme of rhSCF+rhG-CSF+rhMDGF+hMSCS.Sublethally-irradiated NOD/SCID mice were transplanted with ex vivo expanded HSPCS with the dose of 8.5×106 cells per mouse.After transplantation.the dynamics of WBC in the transplanted mice was measured periodically,and the Alu sequence fragment special for human in the transplanted mice was inspected by PCR.Results showed that the coculture scheme increased proliferation of UCB-derived HSPCs.After transplantation with expanded HSPCS,the population of WBC in the transplanted mice increased in 12 d and reached the first peak in 25 d,then showed the second increasing of WBC in 45～55 d.Expanded cells from the coculture scheme appeared to be favorable for the second increasing of WBC in the transplanted mice.After 85 d,the Alu sequence fragment was detected in the probability of 87.5%(7/8)for the non-coculture scheme and 88.9%(8/9)for the coculture scheme.     

Organotypic heart slices for cell transplantation and physiological studies

Recent studies have significantly improved our ability to investigate cell transplantation and study the physiology of transplanted cells in cardiac tissue. Several previous studies have shown that fully-immersed heart slices can be used for electrophysiological investigations. Additionally, ischemic heart slices induced by glucose and oxygen deprivation offer a useful tool to investigate mechanical integration and to measure forces of contraction of engrafted cells, at least for short term analysis. A recent and novel model of heart slices, prepared from rat and human tissues, can be maintained in culture for up to two months. This new heart slice model can be used for long term in vitro cell transplantation studies and for pharmacological evaluation. This review will focus on describing these models and demonstrating the use of organotypic heart slices as a novel tool for drug, for studying electrophysiology and for developing cellular therapeutic approaches to alleviate cardiac tissue damage.     

Organotypic heart slices for cell transplantation and physiological studies

Recent studies have significantly improved our ability to investigate cell transplantation and study the physiology of transplanted cells in cardiac tissue. Several previous studies have shown that fully-immersed heart slices can be used for electrophysiological investigations. Additionally, ischemic heart slices induced by glucose and oxygen deprivation offer a useful tool to investigate mechanical integration and to measure forces of contraction of engrafted cells, at least for short term analysis. A recent and novel model of heart slices, prepared from rat and human tissues, can be maintained in culture for up to two months. This new heart slice model can be used for long term in vitro cell transplantation studies and for pharmacological evaluation. This review will focus on describing these models and demonstrating the use of organotypic heart slices as a novel tool for drugs for studying electrophysiology and developing cellular therapeutic approaches to alleviate cardiac tissue damage.Key words: heart, organotypic, culture, stem cells, transplantation, electrophysiology, pharmacology     

Long-Term Extensive Ectopic Hair Growth on the Spinal Cord of Mice from Transplanted Whisker Follicles

We have previously demonstrated that hair follicles contain nestin-expressing pluripotent stem cells that can effect nerve and spinal cord repair upon transplantation. In the present study, isolated whisker follicles from nestin-driven green fluorescent protein (ND-GFP) mice were histocultured on Gelfoam for 3 weeks for the purpose of transplantation to the spinal cord to heal an induced injury. The hair shaft was cut off from Gelfoam-histocultured whisker follicles, and the remaining part of the whisker follicles containing GFP-nestin expressing pluripotent stem cells were transplanted into the injured spinal cord of nude mice, along with the Gelfoam. After 90 days, the mice were sacrificed and the spinal cord lesion was observed to have healed. ND-GFP expression was intense at the healed area of the spinal cord, as observed by fluorescence microscopy, demonstrating that the hair follicle stem cells were involved in healing the spinal cord. Unexpectedly, the transplanted whisker follicles sprouted out remarkably long hair shafts in the spinal cord during the 90 days after transplantation of Gelfoam whisker histocultures to the injured spine. The pigmented hair fibers, grown from the transplanted whisker histocultures, curved and enclosed the spinal cord. The unanticipated results demonstrate the great potential of hair growth after transplantation of Gelfoam hair follicle histocultures, even at an ectopic site.     

Flow cytometric analysis of peripheral blood erythrocyte chimerism in alpha-thalassemic mice.

A rapid and reliable method for longitudinal studies on the degree of red cell chimerism following bone marrow transplantation of alpha-thalassemic recipient mice is presented. Blood obtained by tail clipping from transplanted mice was analyzed by measuring forward light scatter (FLS) distribution of red cells using a flow cytometer. Amplification and threshold of FLS were specifically adjusted. For flow cytometric analysis, the red cells needed to be suspended in hypotonic saline (103 mmol/l NaCl). Osmotic fragility testing showed that lysis of erythrocytes did not significantly influence the measurements. Flow cytometric measurement allowed for a rapid determination of the degree of red cell chimerism.