Microvesicles released from human embryonic stem cell derived-mesenchymal stem cells inhibit proliferation of leukemia cells.

Human embryonic stem cell derived-mesenchymal stem cells (hESC‑MSCs) are able to inhibit proliferation of leukemia cells. Microvesicles released from human embryonic stem cell derived-mesenchymal stem cells (hESC‑MSC‑MVs) might play an important part in antitumor activity. Microvesicles were isolated by ultracentrifugation and identified under a scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscope separately. After 48-h cocultured with hESC‑MSCs and hESC‑MSC‑MVs, the number of K562 and HL60 was counted and tumor cell viability was measured by CCK8 assay. The expression of proteins Bcl-2 and Bax were estimated by western blotting. Transmission electron microscope and western blot analysis were adopted to evaluate the autophagy level. Results showed that both hESC‑MSCs and hESC‑MSC‑MVs inhibited proliferation of leukemia cells in a concentration-dependent manner. hESC‑MSC‑MVs reduced the ratio of Bcl/Bax, enhanced the protein level of Beclin-1 and LC3-II conversion, thus upregulating autophagy and apoptosis. In conclusion, microvesicles released from human embryonic stem cell derived-mesenchymal stem cells inhibited tumor growth and stimulated autophagy and excessive autophagy might induce apoptosis.