Thyroxine effects on induced differentiation of human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells into chondrocytes / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:Human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cels can be induced through the co-culture to differentiate into other cels, but how to get more seed cels for tissue engineering is one of the most difficult problems. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of the different concentrations of thyroxine in chondrogenic differentiation of human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cels by co-culture with rabbit chondrocytes. METHODS:Human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cels were co-cultured with rabbit chondrocytes at 2:1, and stimulated by medium containing different concentrations of thyroxine (0, 0.01, 0.1 and 1, 10 μmol/L). Co-cultured cels with no thyroxine served as control group. After 14 days of co-culture, the cel RNA and protein were extracted, mRNA expressions of aggrecan and colagen type II were detected by real-time PCR, and protein expression of aggrecan and colagen type II were detected by western blot assay. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:After intervention with 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10 μmol/L thyroxine, the mRNA and protein expressions of aggrecan and colagen type II were enhanced with the increase of thyroxine concentration, which were significantly different from those in the control group (P < 0.05). Experimental findings indicate that high levels of thyroxine can enhance the chondrogenic ability of human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cels co-cultured with rabbit chondrocytes.