Functional characteristics of mesenchymal stem cells derived from bone marrow of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes

Zhao, Zhi-Gang; Xu, Wen; Yu, Hai-Peng; Fang, Bing-Ling; Wu, Shu-Hong; Li, Fang; Li, Wei-Min; Li, Qiu-Bai; Chen, Zhi-Chao; Zou, Ping

doi:10.1016/j.canlet.2011.08.030

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Volume 317, Issue 2 , Pages 136-143, 28 April 2012

Functional characteristics of mesenchymal stem cells derived from bone marrow of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes

Zhi-Gang Zhao
- Department of Hematology, The Oncology Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, PR China
- Corresponding author. Address: Department of Hematology and Oncology, The Oncology Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, PR China. Tel.: +86 22 23340123.
Wen Xu
- Department of Hematology, The Oncology Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, PR China
Hai-Peng Yu
- Department of Interventional Therapy, The Oncology Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, PR China
Bing-Ling Fang
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Division of Surgery, The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
Shu-Hong Wu
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Division of Surgery, The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
Fang Li
- Department of Hematology, The Oncology Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, PR China
Wei-Min Li
- Department of Hematology, Institute of Hematology, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, PR China
Qiu-Bai Li
- Department of Hematology, Institute of Hematology, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, PR China
Zhi-Chao Chen
- Department of Hematology, Institute of Hematology, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, PR China
Ping Zou
- Department of Hematology, Institute of Hematology, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, PR China

Received 18 May 2011; received in revised form 14 August 2011; accepted 28 August 2011. published online 13 January 2012.

Highlights

► We describe the characteristics of MSCs from MDS patients (MDS–MSCs) at single cell level. ► MDS–MSCs were similar to normal-MSCs in growth property and differentiation ability. ► MDS–MSCs had normal karyotype and may be nonmalignant. ► MDS–MSCs appear to be impaired immunomodulatory and hematopoiesis support functions. ► The impaired MDS–MSCs might play a critical role in the pathogenesis of MDS.

Abstract

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have emerged as excellent candidates for clinical application because of their capabilities of immunomodulatory and supporting hematopoiesis. Nevertheless, it is unclear whether the characteristics of MSCs are altered in diseased states. In this study, we obtained and expanded MSCs from bone marrow of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). Our results showed that MSCs derived from MDS (MDS–MSCs) were similar to normal adult bone marrow derived MSCs in morphology, growth property, surface epitopes, and differentiation ability in vitro. In addition, MDS–MSCs had normal karyotype and ultrastructure. However, MDS–MSCs appeared to be impaired in immunomodulatory and supporting hematopoiesis function. Although, MDS–MSCs could express hematopoietic cytokines and support hematopoiesis in long term culture, Real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction showed that the expression of hematopoietic cytokines in MDS–MSCs was much lower than that of normal adult derived MSCs. Moreover, MDS–MSCs showed reduced hematopoiesis support function, as compared to their normal counterparts. Lastly, the capacity of MDS–MSCs to inhibit T lymphocyte activation and proliferation was impaired in vitro. These results indicate that MDS–MSCs have impaired immunomodulatory and hematopoiesis support functions, suggesting their critical role in the pathogenesis of MDS.

Keywords: Mesenchymal stem cells, Bone marrow, Myelodysplastic syndromes, Support hematopoiesis, Immunomodulatory