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Model microgravity enhances endothelium differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells

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Abstract

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are capable of differentiation into multilineage cell types under certain induction conditions. Previous studies have demonstrated that physical environments and mechanical force can influence MSC fate, indicating that these factors may be favorable inducers for clinical treatment. Our previous study found that MSCs are spread with a spindle shape when cultured in normal gravity (NG), and under modeled microgravity (MMG) for 72 h, they become unspread and round and their cytoskeleton fibers are reorganized. These morphological changes affected the function of MSCs through the activity of RhoA. We examined the responses of MSCs under MMG stimulation, followed with VEGF differentiation. We found that MSCs under MMG for 72 h were differentiated into endothelial-like cells by detecting the expression of endothelial-specific molecules (Flk-1 and vWF), which were also able to form a capillary network. Their endothelial differentiation potential was improved under MMG compared with that under NG. We believe that this method is a novel choice of MMG stimulation for neovascularization. This phenomenon may increase the potential of MSC differentiation, which might be a new strategy for the treatment of various vascular diseases and improve vascularization in tissue engineering.

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Acknowledgments

This work was carried out in the Department of Physiology Research Center and Aerospace Dynamics Laboratory, the Fourth Military Medical University, People's Republic of China. This study was supported by a National Nature Science Foundation of China Grant (30973808).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, People’s Republic of China

    Xiaofeng Zhang, Jun Chen, Nanding Wang, Juan Xie, Jing Ma & Zongren Wang

  2. Comprehensive Ward of Ningxia People’s Hospital, Yinchuan, Ningxia, People’s Republic of China

    Yayun Nan

  3. Department of Dermatology, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, People’s Republic of China

    Huan Wang

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  1. Xiaofeng Zhang
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  2. Yayun Nan
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  3. Huan Wang
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  4. Jun Chen
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  5. Nanding Wang
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  6. Juan Xie
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  7. Jing Ma
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  8. Zongren Wang
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Jing Ma or Zongren Wang.

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Communicated by: Sven Thatje

Xiaofeng Zhang, Yayun Nan, and Huan Wang contributed equally to this work.

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Zhang, X., Nan, Y., Wang, H. et al. Model microgravity enhances endothelium differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells. Naturwissenschaften 100, 125–133 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-012-1002-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-012-1002-5

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