Meili Liu

Effect of Cyclic Strain on Cardiomyogenic Differentiation of Rat Bone Marrow Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a potential source of material for the generation of tissue-engineered cardiac grafts because of their ability to transdifferentiate into cardiomyocytes after chemical treatments or co-culture with cardiomyocytes. Cardiomyocytes in the body are subjected to cyclic strain induced by the rhythmic heart beating. Whether cyclic strain could regulate rat bone marrow derived MSC (rBMSC) differentiation into cardiomyocyte-like lineage was investigated in this study. A stretching device was used to generate the cyclic strain for rBMSCs. Cardiomyogenic differentiation was evaluated using quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), immunocytochemistry and western-blotting. The results demonstrated that appropriate cyclic strain treatment alone could induce cardiomyogenic differentiation of rBMSCs, as confirmed by the expression of cardiomyocyte-related markers at both mRNA and protein levels. Furthermore, rBMSCs exposed to the strain stimulation expressed cardiomyocyte-related markers at a higher level than the shear stimulation. In addition, when rBMSCs were exposed to both strain and 5-azacytidine (5-aza), expression levels of cardiomyocyte-related markers significantly increased to a degree suggestive of a synergistic interaction. These results suggest that cyclic strain is an important mechanical stimulus affecting the cardiomyogenic differentiation of rBMSCs. This provides a new avenue for mechanistic studies of stem cell differentiation and a new approach to obtain more committed differentiated cells.

Involvement of large conductance Ca 2+ -activated K + channel in laminar shear stress-induced inhibition of vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation

The large conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (BKCa) channel in vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) is an important potassium channel that can regulate vascular tone. Recent work has demonstrated that abnormalities in BKCa channel function are associated with changes in cell proliferation and the onset of vascular disease. However, until today there are rare reports to show whether this channel is involved in VSMC proliferation in response to fluid shear stress (SS). Here we investigated a possible role of BKCa channel in VSMC proliferation under laminar SS. Rat aortic VSMCs were plated in parallel-plate flow chambers and exposed to laminar SS with varied durations and magnitudes. VSMC proliferation was assessed by measuring proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) expression and DNA synthesis. BKCa protein and gene expression was determined by flow cytometery and RT-PCR. The involvement of BKCa in SS-induced inhibition of proliferation was examined by BKCa inhibition using a BKCa specific blocker, iberiotoxin (IBTX), and by BKCa transfection in BKCa non-expressing CHO cells. The changes in [Ca2+]i were determined using a calcium-sensitive dye, fluo 3-AM. Membrane potential changes were detected with a potential-sensitive dye, DiBAC4(3). We found that laminar SS inhibited VSMC proliferation and stimulated BKCa channel expression. Furthermore, laminar SS induced an increase in [Ca2+]i and membrane hyperpolarization. Besides in VSMC, the inhibitory effect of BKCa channel activity on cell proliferation in response to SS was also confirmed in BKCa-transfected CHO cells showing a decline in proliferation. Blocking BKCa channel reversed its inhibitory effect, providing additional support for the involvement of BKCa in SS-induced proliferation reduction. Our results suggest, for the first time, that BKCa channel mediates laminar SS-induced inhibition of VSMC proliferation. This finding is important for understanding the mechanism by which SS regulates VSMC proliferation, and should be helpful in developing strategies to prevent flow-initiated vascular disease formation.

Effect of nano-hydroxyapatite on the axonal guidance growth of rat cortical neurons

Nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes (CNT) can improve axonal connecting in a target direction during regeneration, however, it is limited by the neurotoxicity of CNT. Here we investigate the possible protective effect of nano-hydroxyapatite (n-HA) against nerve injury, as well as CNT in cultured rat cortical neurons. In this study the nanomaterials were characterized by X-Ray diffractometry (XRD) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis. Our results showed that axonal migration and extension were increased significantly after n-HA treatment by immunocytochemistry assay. The patch clamp assay results showed that n-HA acts protectively after nerve injury, which inhibited the average amplitude and frequency of excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs). n-HA is not neurotoxic for the electrophysiology activity of cells. To find the effect of n-HA on axonal guidance growth in the cultured cortical neurons, Netrin 1, one of the axonal guidance cues, was determined by RT-PCR and western blot assay. Compared to the control group, n-HA down-regulated the mRNA level of netrin 1, and moreover, the expression of netrin 1 decreased significantly in the cells. n-HA caused the axonal guidance growth to be mediated by netrin 1 during nerve regeneration. Therefore, the data from the present study provided a new approach for the therapy or prevention of nerve injury.

Fluid shear stress regulates metalloproteinase-1 and 2 in human periodontal ligament cells: Involvement of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and P38 signaling pathways

Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1, 2, with their endogenous inhibitors, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1, 2 are critical for extracellular matrix remodeling in human periodontal ligament (PDL) and their expression are sensitive to mechanical stresses. Shear stress as the main type of mechanical stress in tooth movement is involved in matrix turnover. However, how shear stress regulates MMPs and TIMPs system is still unclear. In this study, we investigated the effect of fluid shear stress on expression of MMP-1, 2 and TIMP-1, 2 in human PDL cells and the possible roles of mitogen-activated protein kinases in this process. Three levels of fluid shear stresses (6, 9 and 12 dyn/cm(2)) were loaded on PDL cells for 2, 4, 8 and 12h. The results indicated that fluid shear stress rearranged cytoskeleton in PDL cells. Fluid shear stress increased expression of MMP-1, 2, TIMP-1 and suppressed TIMP-2 expression. MAP kinases including extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 were activated rapidly by fluid shear stress. The ERK inhibitor blocked fluid shear stress induced MMP-1 expression and P38 inhibitor reduced fluid shear stress stimulated MMP-2 expression. Our study suggested that fluid shear stress involved in PDL remodeling via regulating MMP-1, 2 and TIMP-1, 2 expression. ERK regulated fluid shear stress induced MMP-1 expression and P38 play a role in fluid shear stress induced MMP-2 upregulation.

Potential protection of green tea polyphenols against ultraviolet irradiation-induced injury on rat cortical neurons.

The present study was performed to investigate the possible protective effects of green tea polyphenols against ultraviolet (UV)-C light irradiation-induced cell death in the cultured rat cortical neurons. We found that UV-C light irradiation induced marked cell death tested by 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazole-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) and TdT-mediated biotin-dUTP nicked-end labeling (TUNEL) assay. Protective effects of green tea polyphenols on UV-C light irradiation-induced apoptosis in cortical neurons were demonstrated by testing the content of Bax, which is involved in cell death. The expression of active Bax in cultured rat cortical neurons was inhibited significantly by green tea polyphenols compared to UV irradiation group tested by the immunoprecipitation assay and Western blot assay. However, there were no significant changes in the contents of total Bax after treatment with green tea polyphenols in UV-C light-irradiated rat cortical neurons. Our results demonstrated that the green tea polyphenols inhibited the active Bax expression, suggesting a neuroprotective effect of green tea polyphenols against the UV-C light irradiation-induced injury on cortical neurons.

Galanin protects against nerve injury after shear stress in primary cultured rat cortical neurons.

The neuropeptide galanin and its receptors (GalR) are found to be up-regulated in brains suffering from nerve injury, but the specific role played by galanin remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the neuroprotective role of galanin after shear stress induced nerve injury in the primary cultured cortical neurons of rats. Our results demonstrated that no significant changes in cell death and viability were found after galanin treatment when subjected to a shear stress of 5 dyn/cm2 for 12 h, after increasing magnitude of shear stress to 10 dyn/cm2 for 12 h, cell death was significantly increased, while galanin can inhibit the nerve injury induced by shear stress with 10 dyn/cm2 for 12 h. Moreover, Gal2-11 (an agonist of GalR2/3) could also effectively inhibit shear stress-induced nerve injury of primary cultured cortical neurons in rats. Although GalR2 is involved in the galanin protection mechanism, there was no GalR3 expression in this system. Moreover, galanin increased the excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs), which can effectively inhibit the physiological effects of shear stress. Galanin was also found to inhibit the activation of p53 and Bax, and further reversed the down regulation of Bcl-2 induced by shear stress. Our results strongly demonstrated that galanin plays a neuroprotective role in injured cortical neurons of rats.

Potential protective effect of biphasic electrical stimulation against growth factor-deprived apoptosis on olfactory bulb neural progenitor cells through the brain-derived neurotrophic factor-phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase/Akt pathway.

Stem cell therapy may provide a therapeutic method for the replacement and regeneration of damaged neurons of the central nervous system. However, neural stem cells (NSCs) and neural precursor cells (NPCs) are especially vulnerable after transplantation due to a lack of sufficient growth factors at the transplant site. Electrical stimulation (ES) has recently been found to participate in the regulation of cell proliferation, growth, differentiation, and migration, but its underlying anti-apoptotic effects remain unclear. This study investigated the protective effects of biphasic electrical stimulation (BES) on olfactory bulb NPCs against growth factor-deprived apoptosis, examining the survival and apoptotic features of the cells. Differentiation was assessed by neuronal and glial markers. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor–phosphatidylinositol 3′-kinase (BDNF)-PI3K/Akt pathway activation was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blot. The chemical inhibitor wortmannin was used to inhibit the PI3K/Akt pathway. BES exerts a protective effect against growth factor-deprived apoptosis in the NPCs. BES enhanced cell survival and decreased the apoptotic/necrotic rate. Expression of phosphorylated Akt and BDNF secretion increased with BES for 12 h. Furthermore, the protective effects of BES were inhibited by blocking PI3K/AKT signalling. These results suggest that BES prevents growth factor-deprived apoptosis through the BDNF-PI3K/Akt signalling. This work strengthens the opinion that BES may be used as an auxiliary strategy for improving cell survival and preventing cell apoptosis in stem cell-based transplantation therapy.

Effect of nano-hydroxyapatite-coated magnetic nanoparticles on axonal guidance growth of rat dorsal root ganglion neurons

Proper extracellular substrate can stimulate neural regeneration in nerve tissue engineering, including magnetic nanoparticles (iron oxide nanoparticles, Fe3 O4 ), but they are always neurotoxic, with low saturation magnetization and so on. These nanomaterials cannot be used to stimulate the growth and elongation of axons. Therefore, this work attempts to overcome these deficiencies. Nano-hydroxyapatite (n-HA) coated magnetic nanoparticles were using an ultrasound-assisted co-precipitation method. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy were used to characterize the structure and chemical composition of the produced samples. These synthesized nanomaterials were added into the primary cultured dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons; our results showed that n-HA-coated magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3 O4 +n-HA) can effectively increase cell viability and promote axonal elongation, which enhanced saturation magnetization. In addition, we demonstrated that axonal guidance cues Netrin-1 increase significantly after n-HA-coated magnetic nanoparticles treatment by Western blots assay. n-HA-coated magnetic particles maybe applied to enhance or accelerate nerve regeneration, and it may provide guidance for regenerating axons in future.

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles induced proinflammation of primary cultured cardiac myocytes of rat

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles are widely used in electronics, biology, and medicine owing to their special properties. However, during TiO2 nanoparticles exposure, nanoparticles may enter the blood circulation and translocate to the heart, and they may result in negative effects on the cardiovascular system. In this study, we demonstrated that the anatase and rutile TiO2 nanoparticles had potential toxicological effects on primary cultured cardiac myocytes of rat. After incubating with the anatase and rutile TiO2 nanoparticles, the primary cultured cardiac myocytes had become elongated and appeared to detach from the surface of cell plate. After exposure to 50, 100, and 150 µg/mL anatase and rutile TiO2 nanoparticles for 2 days, the obvious decrease of cell viability was observed. And further studies showed that TiO2 nanoparticles exposure could induce the high expression of proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6, especially in 150 µg/mL group. The long-rod rutile TiO2 had more strong effects on cell viability and proinflammatory cytokines induction than red-blood cells like anatase TiO2. Results indicated that TiO2 nanoparticles exposure could impair the function of primary cultured cardiac myocytes of rat. Therefore, these findings support the view that much more attention should be aroused on the application of these nanoparticles and their potential exposure effects on human beings.

The effects of fluid shear stress on proliferation and osteogenesis of human periodontal ligament cells

Shear stress is one of the main stress type produced by speech, mastication or tooth movement. The mechano-response of human periodontal ligament (PDL) cells by shear stress and the mechanism are largely unknown. In our study, we investigated the effects of fluid shear stress on proliferation, migration and osteogenic potential of human PDL cells. 6dyn/cm(2) of fluid shear stress was produced in a parallel plate flow chamber. Our results demonstrated that fluid shear stress rearranged the orientation of human PDL cells. In addition, fluid shear stress inhibited human PDL cell proliferation and migration, but increased the osteogenic potential and expression of several growth factors and cytokines. Our study suggested that shear stress is involved in homeostasis regulation in human PDL cells. Inhibiting proliferation and migration potentially induce PDL cells to respond to mechanical stimuli in order to undergo osteogenic differentiation.