Cardiomyogenic Potential of Human Adipose Tissue and Umbilical Cord Derived-Mesenchymal Like Stem Cells

Park, Seah; Kang, Hyeon Mi; Kim, Eun Su; Kim, Jinyoung; Kim, Haekwon

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
In the present study, we examined the differentiation potential of human adipose- (HAD) and human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal like stem cells (HUC) into cardiomyocytes.
METHODS
Cells were initially exposed to 5-azacytidine for 24 h cells and then were cultivated in the presence or absence of activin A, TGF-beta 1, or Wnt inhibitor with various combinations of BMP and FGF. Assessment of cardiomyogenic differentiation was made upon the expression of cardiomyocyte-specific genes using RT-PCR.
RESULTS
HAD that cultivated in control medium for 4 weeks after 5-azacytidine expose showed new expression of TnT gene and increased expression of Cmlc1 and kv4.3 genes. However, HAD cultivated in the presence of combinations of BMP-4/FGF-4 (B4/F4) and BMP-4/FGF-8 (B4/F8) showed new expression of beta-MHC gene and more increased expression of Cmlc1, TnT, TnI, Kv4.3 genes. Significantly enhanced expression of Cmlc1, TnT, and Kv4.3 genes were also observed compared to that cultivated in the control medium. Treatment of HUC with either 5-azacytidine or combinations of BMP and FGF did not affect the expression profile of these genes. However, when activin A or TGF-beta 1 was present in addition to the BMP-2/FGF-8 (B2/F8) after 5-azacytidine exposure, HUC exhibited new expression of beta-MHC gene and increased expression of alpha-CA, TnT and Kv4.3 genes. When Wnt inhibitor was present in addition to BMP and FGF, HUC showed new expression of Cmlc1 gene and increased expression of alpha-CA, TnT, TnI and Kv4.3 genes.
CONCLUSIONS
Based on these observations, it is suggested that HAD and HUC could differentiate into cardiomyocytes which might be used as therapeutic cells for the heart diseases.