BACKGROUND: Umbilical cord Wharton's jelly (WJ) is a rich source of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) similar to bone marrow (BM) and adipose tissues. Stage-specific embryonic antigen (SSEA)4 has been reported as a stem cell marker in BM-derived MSCs, but whether SSEA4(+) cells have growth and differentiation advantages over SSEA4(-) cells remains controversial. To gain insight into the role of SSEA4, we studied SSEA4(+) cells in WJ-derived MSCs (WJ-MSCs). METHODS: WJ-MSCs were collected by the explant (WJe-MSCs) or collagenase methods (WJc-MSCs) and analyzed by flow cytometry and reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). To evaluate whether culture conditions influenced the SSEA4 expression, WJe-MSCs were cultured in the medium supplemented with different fetal bovine serum (FBS) concentrations. RESULTS: SSEA4 was expressed for a long-term culture. In contrast, SSEA3(+) disappeared rapidly in early passages of the culture. The incidence of SSEA4(+) and SSEA3(+) cells was similar between WJe-MSCs and WJc-MSCs at passages P0-P9, except for transient depletion of SSEA4 expression in early passages of WJe-MSCs. These were CD73(+)CD105(+) cells that express embryonic stem cell markers detected by RT-PCR. No differences in growth and differentiation ability of osteocytes and adipocytes were observed between the sorted SSEA4(+) cells and SSEA4(-) cells. Further, SSEA4 expression in WJe-MSCs was significantly correlated with FBS concentration in the culture medium. DISCUSSION: SSEA4, which may display altered expression profiles in response to culture conditions, may not be an essential marker of WJ-MSC multipotency.
BACKGROUND: Umbilical cord Wharton's jelly (WJ) is a rich source of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) similar to bone marrow (BM) and adipose tissues. Stage-specific embryonic antigen (SSEA)4 has been reported as a stem cell marker in BM-derived MSCs, but whether SSEA4(+) cells have growth and differentiation advantages over SSEA4(-) cells remains controversial. To gain insight into the role of SSEA4, we studied SSEA4(+) cells in WJ-derived MSCs (WJ-MSCs). METHODS: WJ-MSCs were collected by the explant (WJe-MSCs) or collagenase methods (WJc-MSCs) and analyzed by flow cytometry and reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). To evaluate whether culture conditions influenced the SSEA4 expression, WJe-MSCs were cultured in the medium supplemented with different fetal bovine serum (FBS) concentrations. RESULTS: SSEA4 was expressed for a long-term culture. In contrast, SSEA3(+) disappeared rapidly in early passages of the culture. The incidence of SSEA4(+) and SSEA3(+) cells was similar between WJe-MSCs and WJc-MSCs at passages P0-P9, except for transient depletion of SSEA4 expression in early passages of WJe-MSCs. These were CD73(+)CD105(+) cells that express embryonic stem cell markers detected by RT-PCR. No differences in growth and differentiation ability of osteocytes and adipocytes were observed between the sorted SSEA4(+) cells and SSEA4(-) cells. Further, SSEA4 expression in WJe-MSCs was significantly correlated with FBS concentration in the culture medium. DISCUSSION: SSEA4, which may display altered expression profiles in response to culture conditions, may not be an essential marker of WJ-MSC multipotency.
Authors: Áron Szepesi; Zsolt Matula; Anna Szigeti; György Várady; József Szalma; Gyula Szabó; Ferenc Uher; Balázs Sarkadi; Katalin Német Journal: Stem Cells Int Date: 2016-11-24 Impact factor: 5.443
Authors: Carla C G Pinheiro; Alessander Leyendecker Junior; Daniela Y S Tanikawa; José Ricardo Muniz Ferreira; Reza Jarrahy; Daniela F Bueno Journal: Stem Cells Int Date: 2019-11-06 Impact factor: 5.443