Effects of inflammation on stem cells: together they strive?

Inflammation entails a complex set of defense mechanisms acting in concert to restore the homeostatic balance in organisms after damage or pathogen invasion. This immune response consists of the activity of various immune cells in a highly complex manner. Inflammation is a double-edged sword as it is reported to have both detrimental and beneficial consequences. In this review, we discuss the effects of inflammation on stem cell activity, focusing primarily on neural stem/progenitor cells in mammals and zebrafish. We also give a brief overview of the effects of inflammation on other stem cell compartments, exemplifying the positive and negative role of inflammation on stemness. The majority of the chronic diseases involve an unremitting phase of inflammation due to improper resolution of the initial pro-inflammatory response that impinges on the stem cell behavior. Thus, understanding the mechanisms of crosstalk between the inflammatory milieu and tissue-resident stem cells is an important basis for clinical efforts. Not only is it important to understand the effect of inflammation on stem cell activity for further defining the etiology of the diseases, but also better mechanistic understanding is essential to design regenerative therapies that aim at micromanipulating the inflammatory milieu to offset the negative effects and maximize the beneficial outcomes.     

On the origin of neoblasts in freshwater planarians (Turbellaria)

Experiments on 1) regeneration of the cave-adapted planarian, Sphalloplana zeschi, 2) induction of sexuality in an asexual strain of Dugesia japonica japonica by feeding, and 3) culture of dissociated planarian cells, show that neoblasts originate from intestinal cells, i.e. phagocytic cells and granular clubs.     

Identification of neoblast- and regeneration-specific miRNAs in the planarian Schmidtea mediterranea

In recent years, the planarian Schmidtea mediterranea has emerged as a tractable model system to study stem cell biology and regeneration. MicroRNAs are small RNA species that control gene expression by modulating translational repression and mRNA stability and have been implicated in the regulation of various cellular processes. Though recent studies have identified several miRNAs in S. mediterranea, their expression in neoblast subpopulations and during regeneration has not been examined. Here, we identify several miRNAs whose expression is enriched in different neoblast subpopulations and in regenerating tissue at different time points in S. mediterranea. Some of these miRNAs were enriched within 3 h post-amputation and may, therefore, play a role in wound healing and/or neoblast migration. Our results also revealed miRNAs, such as sme-miR-2d-3p and the sme-miR-124 family, whose expression is enriched in the cephalic ganglia, are also expressed in the brain primordium during CNS regeneration. These results provide new insight into the potential biological functions of miRNAs in neoblasts and regeneration in planarians.     

Paracrine control of tissue regeneration and cell proliferation by Caspase-3

Executioner caspases such as Caspase-3 and Caspase-7 have long been recognised as the key proteases involved in cell demolition during apoptosis. Caspase activation also modulates signal transduction inside cells, through activation or inactivation of kinases, phosphatases and other signalling molecules. Interestingly, a series of recent studies have demonstrated that caspase activation may also influence signal transduction and gene expression changes in neighbouring cells that themselves did not activate caspases. This review describes the physiological relevance of paracrine Caspase-3 signalling for developmental processes, tissue homeostasis and tissue regeneration, and discusses the role of soluble factors and microparticles in mediating these paracrine activities. While non-cell autonomous control of tissue regeneration by Caspase-3 may represent an important process for maintaining tissue homeostasis, it may limit the efficiency of current cancer therapy by promoting cell proliferation in those cancer cells resistant to radio- or chemotherapy. We discuss recent evidence in support of such a role for Caspase-3, and discuss its therapeutic implication.     

MicroRNAs参与调控中枢神经系统的发育及脊髓损伤修复

microRNAs（miRNAs）不仅参与神经系统的生长发育、功能完善,还参与脊髓损伤病理及损伤后修复过程。miRNAs能使中枢神经系统按正确的时序性和空间性顺序进行发育和分化,在维持生物体记忆及生物钟方面起着重要作用。miRNAs异常表达同脊髓损伤病理过程相关。目前,体内及体外实验均已证实,miRNAs不仅能够维持神经干细胞增殖,而且可以促进神经元轴突伸长,从而为脊髓损伤的治疗带来新的治疗策略。     

Role of Telomerase in Reactivation of Macrophage Nuclei in Heterokaryons

It was shown that the duration of stay of macrophages in the peritoneal cavity of mice and method of their isolation did not affect markedly their capacity for resumption of DNA synthesis in heterokaryons. This means that mouse macrophage undergo such changes during differentiation that reactivation of DNA synthesis in their nuclei is only possible after interaction of telomeres with telomerase, since it was already shown that telomerase was involved in reactivation of DNA synthesis in the macrophage nuclei. The results of experiments did not reveal differences in the length of telomeres in mouse macrophages and other somatic cells. This could depend on the significant length of mouse telomeres and, as a result, their shortening, sufficient for the inhibition of proliferation, is beyond the limits of sensitivity of the current methods. It is also possible that changes in DNA properties in the macrophages occurring during their differentiation depend on changes in the conformation of the telomere complex in these cells. Testing of this suggestion is relevant with respect to recent data that cell hybridization, specifically in the form of heterokaryons, may be essential in realization of the therapeutic effect caused by the introduction of cells during cell therapy.     

人脂肪间充质干细胞外泌体通过上调β-catenin、c-Myc和细胞周期蛋白表达促进表皮干细胞增殖

本研究探讨人脂肪间充质干细胞来源的外泌体(ADSC-Exos)对人表皮干细胞(EpSCs)增殖的影响及机制.首先使用Ⅰ型胶原酶分离人脂肪组织ADSCs,中性蛋白酶Ⅱ和胰酶分离人皮肤组织EpSCs;采用ExoQuick-TC试剂分离ADSCs培养上清中的外泌体.然后通过MTT法、细胞免疫荧光检测Ki67,BrdU掺入实验检测ADSC-Exos对EpSCs增殖的影响,流式细胞术检测ADSC-Exos对EpSCs细胞周期的影响.通过H&E染色、免疫组化染色检测细胞增殖标志分子及表皮干细胞标志分子的表达,以观察ADSC-Exos对体外培养皮肤组织的结构及EpSCs增殖的影响.结果显示:ADSC-Exos能以浓度依赖性和时间依赖性的方式促进EpSCs增殖,增加S期细胞数,减少G1期细胞数;ADSC-Exos也能促进体外培养皮肤组织中的EpSCs增殖.机制研究发现:ADSC-Exos对EpSCs的促增殖作用能部分被β-catenin抑制剂XAV-939或c-Myc抑制剂10058-F4所抑制.ADSC-Exos能促进EpSCs表达β-catenin、c-Myc及cyclin E1、A2、D...     

Cell therapy for ischaemic heart disease: focus on the role of resident cardiac stem cells

Myocardial infarction results in loss of cardiomyocytes, scar formation, ventricular remodelling, and eventually heart failure. In recent years, cell therapy has emerged as a potential new strategy for patients with ischaemic heart disease. This includes embryonic and bone marrow derived stem cells. Recent clinical studies showed ostensibly conflicting results of intracoronary infusion of autologous bone marrow derived stem cells in patients with acute or chronic myocardial infarction. Anyway, these results have stimulated additional clinical and pre-clinical studies to further enhance the beneficial effects of stem cell therapy. Recently, the existence of cardiac stem cells that reside in the heart itself was demonstrated. Their discovery has sparked intense hope for myocardial regeneration with cells that are obtained from the heart itself and are thereby inherently programmed to reconstitute cardiac tissue. These cells can be detected by several surface markers (e.g. c-kit, Sca-1, MDR1, Isl-1). Both in vitro and in vivo differentiation into cardiomyocytes, endothelial cells and vascular smooth muscle cells has been demonstrated, and animal studies showed promising results on improvement of left ventricular function. This review will discuss current views regarding the feasibility of cardiac repair, and focus on the potential role of the resident cardiac stem and progenitor cells. (Neth Heart J 2009;17:199–207.)     

Improving cardiac regeneration after injury: Are we a step closer?

During regeneration, lost functional tissue can, in general, be replaced by different mechanisms, including proliferation of terminally differentiated cells or through differentiation of resident stem cells. It is a well-accepted dogma that the mammalian heart cannot efficiently regenerate upon injury as a consequence of insufficient oxygen supply. This is in sharp contrast to the hearts of adult zebrafish or newts that are able to replace lost ventricular tissue. Novel data indicate that the young murine heart also has the ability to regenerate within the first week after birth using mechanisms apparently quite similar to those observed in fish. This now provides us with a good starting point to identify the molecular mechanisms that led to the loss of the regenerative capacity of the adult mammalian heart. These future studies will also indicate whether it will be possible to reawaken the regenerative capability of cardiomyocytes in the human heart by treatment with selected pharmaceuticals.