• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.16-23
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• 2010

Adipocyte differentiation in human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBM-MSCs) is not as efficient as that in murine pre-adipocytes when induced by adipogenic agents including insulin, dexamethasone, and 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IDX condition). Therefore, the promotion of adipocyte differentiation in hBM-MSCs has been used as a cell culture model to evaluate insulin sensitivity for anti-diabetic drugs. In hBM-MSCs, $PPAR{\gamma}$ agonists or sulfonylurea anti-diabetic drugs have been added to IDX conditions to promote adipocyte differentiation. Here we show that troglitazone, a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma ($PPAR{\gamma}$) agonist, significantly reduced the levels of anti-adipogenic $PGE_2$ in IDX-conditioned hBM-MSC culture supernatants when compared to $PGE_2$ levels in the absence of $PPAR{\gamma}$ agonist. However, there was no difference in the mRNA levels of cyclooxygenases (COXs) and the activities of COXs and prostaglandin synthases during adipocyte differentiation in hBM-MSCs with or without troglitazone. In hBM-MSCs, troglitazone significantly increased the mRNA level of 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (HPGD) which can act to decrease $PGE_2$ levels in culture. These results suggest that the role of $PPAR{\gamma}$ activation in promoting adipocyte differentiation in hBM-MSCs is to reduce anti-adipogenic $PGE_2$ levels through the up-regulation of HPGD expression.

• Biomaterials and Biomechanics in Bioengineering
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.151-162
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• 2014

Genetically-modified mesenchymal stem cells (GM-MSCs) have emerged as promising therapeutic tools for orthopedic degenerative diseases. GM-MSCs have been widely reported that they are able to increase bone and cartilage tissue regeneration not only by secreting transgene products such as growth factors in a long-term manner, also by inducing MSCs into tissue-specific cells. For example, MSCs modified with BMP-2 gene increased secretion of BMP-2 protein resulting in enhancement of bone regeneration, while MSCs with TGF-b gene did cartilage regeneration. In this review, we introduce several growth factors for gene delivery to MSCs and strategies for bone and cartilage tissue regeneration using GM-MSCs. Furthermore, we describe strategies for strengthening GM-MSCs to more intensively induce tissue regeneration by co-delivery system of multiple genes.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.9
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• pp.5461-5465
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• 2013

Oral cancer is one of the most commonly occurring cancers worldwide, decreasing the patient's survival rate due to tumor recurrence and metastasis. Menadione (Vitamin K3) is known to exhibit cytotoxicity in various cancer cells but the present study focused on its effects on viability, apoptosis, epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), anchorage independent growth and migration of oral cancer cells. The results show that menadione is more cytotoxic to SAS (oral squamous carcinoma) cells but not to non-tumorigenic HEK293 and HaCaT cells. Menadione treatment increased the expression of pro-apoptotic proteins, Bax and p53, with a concurrent decrease in anti-apoptotic proteins, Bcl-2 and p65. Menadione induced the expression of E-cadherin but reduced the expression of EMT markers, vimentin and fibronectin. Menadione also inhibited anchorage independent growth and migration in SAS cells. These findings reveal and confirm that menadione is a potential candidate in oral cancer therapy as it exhibits cytotoxic, antineoplastic and antimigratory effects besides effectively blocking EMT in oral cancer cells.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.21-25
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• 2008

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) have the capacity for self-renewal and differentiation into a variety of cell types. They represent an attractive source of cells for gene and cell therapy. The purpose of this study is to direct the specific expression of the DsRed reporter gene in $Sca-1^+$ BMMSCs differentiated into a cardiomyogenic lineage. We constructed the prMLC-2v-DsRed vector expressing DsRed under the control of the 309 tp fragment of the rat MLC-2v 5'-flanking region. The specific expression of the DsRed reporter gene under the transcriptional control of the 309 bp fragment of the rat MLC-2v promoter was tested in 5-azacytidine healed-$Sca-1^+$ BMMSCs over 2 weeks after the prMLC-2v-DsRed transfection. The prMLC-2v-DsRed was specifically expressed in the $Sca-1^+$ BMMSCs with cardiomyogenic lineage differentiation and it demonstrates that the 309 bp sequences of the rat MLC-2v 5'-flanking region is sufficient to confer cardiac specific expression on a DsRed reporter gene. The cardiac-specific promoter-driven reporter vector provides an important tool for the study of stem cell differentiation and cell replacement therapy in ischemic cardiomyopathy.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.53-62
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• 2016

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in the bone marrow and other somatic tissues reside in an environment with relative low oxygen tension. Cobalt chloride ($CoCl_2$) can mimic hypoxic conditions through transcriptional changes of some genes including hypoxia-inducible factor-$1{\alpha}$ (HIF-$1{\alpha}$) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). This study evaluated the potential role of $CoCl_2$ preconditioning on multi-lineage differentiation of C3H/10T1/2, a murine MSC line to understand its possible molecular mechanisms in vitro. $CoCl_2$ treatment of MSCs markedly increased HIF-$1{\alpha}$ and VEGF mRNA, and protein expression of HIF-$1{\alpha}$. Temporary preconditioning of MSCs with $CoCl_2$ induced up-regulation of osteogenic markers including alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin, and type I collagen during osteogenic differentiation, followed by enhanced mineralization. $CoCl_2$ also increased chondrogenic markers including aggrecan, sox9, and type II collagen, and promoted chondrocyte differentiation. $CoCl_2$ suppressed the expression of adipogenic markers including $PPAR{\gamma}$, aP2, and $C/EBP{\alpha}$, and inhibited adipogenesis. Temporary preconditioning with $CoCl_2$ could affect the multi-lineage differentiation of MSCs.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.157-162
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• 2012

Corneal injury is very common clinical condition in veterinary medicine and delayed or incomplete corneal healing has the potential of vision loss due to the loss of corneal transparency. For the reconstruction of corneal epithelium, tissue graft and cell transplantation have been prosperously investigated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical value and short-term safety of application of cultured allogenic mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in the treatment of canine experimental corneal defect. Corneal defects were surgically generated in the central corneas of healthy beagle dogs and cultured canine allogenic MSCs were transplanted via subconjunctival injection. Although mean healing time, the rate of epithelial regeneration, and the degree of corneal transparency were not significantly improved after MSC transplantation, significant immune reaction or incompatibility reaction was not detected except transient local irritation. These results propose the possibility of MSC application as a new regenerative medicine in canine ocular disorders.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.36-43
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• 2006

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are promising candidates for cell therapy and tissue engineering, but their application has been impeded by lack of knowledge of their core biological properties. In order to identify MSC-specific proteins, the hydrophobic protein fraction was individually prepared from two different umbilical cord blood (UCB)-derived MSC populations; these were then subjected to two-dimensional (2D) gel electrophoresis and peptide mass fingerprinting matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI)-time of flight (TOF)-mass spectrometry (MS). Although the 2D gel patterns differed somewhat between the two samples, computer-assisted image analysis identified shared protein spots. 35 spots were reliably identified corresponding to 32 different proteins, many of which were chaperones. Based on their primary sub-cellular locations the proteins could be grouped into 6 categories: extracellular, cell surface, endoplasmic reticular, mitochondrial, cytoplasmic and cytoskeletal proteins. This map of the water-insoluble proteome may provide valuable insights into the biology of the cell surface and other compartments of human MSCs.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.115-119
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• 2012

Today, ultrasound imaging is being widely used to assess soft tissue lesions in the maxillofacial region. However, ultrasound investigations of intra-osseous lesions are rare, especially for tumors of the jaws. This report emphasized the capability of this useful imaging modality in identification of the characteristics of malignant conditions involving the bone. Mesenchymal chondrosarcoama, one of the unusual malignant conditions of the jaw, was presented in a young male with significant facial swelling. Different imaging modalities parallel with the histopathologic investigation confirmed the diagnosis. Interestingly, destruction of the bony cortex and new bone formation with a characteristic "sun ray appearance", highly suggestive of sarcomas, was manifested on the ultrasonograph. Thus, this report presented the ultrasonographic features of chondrosarcoma of mandible and considered the ultrasonography to be a useful imaging modality to evaluate intra-osseous jaw lesions.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.205-209
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• 2001

Mesenchymal cells from the leg buds of stage 24-chick embryos differentiated into chondrocytes when plated at high density. Treatment of high density micromass culture of chick mesenchymal cells with cytochalasin D(CD, 2 $\mu$M for 24 h) resulted in inhibition of chondrogenesis. CD treatment was found to affect the expression of the contractile protein $\alpha$-smooth muscle actin ($\alpha$-SM actin). In control cultures, $\alpha$-SM actin uniformly expressed from culture day 2, but the CD-treated cells induced expression of $\alpha$-SM actin from the first day of culture followed by a continuous increase. Expression of pan-cadherin (P-cadherin) decreased as chondrogenesis proceeded in the control culture, whereas the CD-treated cells showed sustained expression. These results propose a close connection of chondrogenic differentiation with expression of $\alpha$-SM actin and P-cadherin.

• BMB Reports
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.182-187
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• 2018

In carcinoma, cancer-associated fibroblasts participate in force-mediated extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling, consequently leading to invasion of cancer cells. Likewise, the ECM remodeling actively occurs in glioblastoma (GBM) and the consequent microenvironmental stiffness is strongly linked to migration behavior of GBM cells. However, in GBM the stromal cells responsible for force-mediated ECM remodeling remain unidentified. We show that tumor-associated mesenchymal stem-like cells (tMSLCs) provide a proinvasive matrix condition in GBM by force-mediated ECM remodeling. Importantly, CCL2-mediated Janus kinase 1 (JAK1) activation increased phosphorylation of myosin light chain 2 in tMSLCs and led to collagen assembly and actomyosin contractility. Collectively, our findings implicate tMSLCs as stromal cells providing force-mediated proinvasive ECM remodeling in the GBM microenvironment, and reminiscent of fibroblasts in carcinoma.