Open Access

Effects of hypoxia on differentiation of menstrual blood stromal stem cells towards tenogenic cells in a co‑culture system with Achilles tendon cells

  • Authors:
    • Yijing Zheng
    • Yifei Zhou
    • Xiaolei Zhang
    • Yuemiao Chen
    • Xuhao Zheng
    • Tao Cheng
    • Chaonan Wang
    • Xuqi Hu
    • Jianjun Hong
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: April 26, 2017     https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2017.4383
  • Pages: 3195-3202
  • Copyright: © Zheng et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

Achilles tendons have a very poor capacity for intrinsic regeneration. The cell‑based treatment strategy for Achilles tendinitis includes the application of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which have high proliferative and multipotent differentiation ability, and is a promising approach. The aim of the present study was to explore the tenogenic potential of human menstrual blood stromal stem cells (MenSCs) in a co‑culture system and to compare the tenogenic capability under normoxic and hypoxic conditions. MenSCs were co‑cultured indirectly with Achilles tendon cells in a Transwell co‑culture system for 1, 2, or 3 weeks in two different concentrations of oxygen (20 and 2% O2), whereas the control contained only MenSCs. The extracellular matrix of MenSCs in each system was evaluated by Alcian blue staining assay, histological staining, reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‑qPCR), and western blot analysis. Alcian blue staining assay revealed a significant increase (P<0.05) in proteoglycan secretion by the differentiated MenSCs. Identical results were obtained by RT‑qPCR for collagen I, which was validated by western blot analysis. Considerably increased collagen I and collagen III gene expression levels were exhibited by cells in the co‑culture treatment group when compared with the control (P<0.05); however, no significant difference was detected between the normoxic (20% O2) and hypoxic treatment (2% O2) groups. RT‑qPCR was utilized to determine the expression levels of thrombospondin 4, scleraxis and tenascin C in the differentiated MenSCs; a significant increase in the expression of these specific genes was indicated in the co‑culture treatment group compared with the control (P<0.05). Although the expression levels were markedly higher in hypoxia than in normoxia conditions, this difference was not significant. To conclude, the present study indicated that MenSCs manifested a strong proliferative and multipotent capacity for differentiation and differentiated into Achilles tenogenic cells. Therefore, the use of MenSCs may be considered in Achilles tendinitis therapy.

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June-2017
Volume 13 Issue 6

Print ISSN: 1792-0981
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Spandidos Publications style
Zheng Y, Zhou Y, Zhang X, Chen Y, Zheng X, Cheng T, Wang C, Hu X and Hong J: Effects of hypoxia on differentiation of menstrual blood stromal stem cells towards tenogenic cells in a co‑culture system with Achilles tendon cells. Exp Ther Med 13: 3195-3202, 2017
APA
Zheng, Y., Zhou, Y., Zhang, X., Chen, Y., Zheng, X., Cheng, T. ... Hong, J. (2017). Effects of hypoxia on differentiation of menstrual blood stromal stem cells towards tenogenic cells in a co‑culture system with Achilles tendon cells. Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine, 13, 3195-3202. https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2017.4383
MLA
Zheng, Y., Zhou, Y., Zhang, X., Chen, Y., Zheng, X., Cheng, T., Wang, C., Hu, X., Hong, J."Effects of hypoxia on differentiation of menstrual blood stromal stem cells towards tenogenic cells in a co‑culture system with Achilles tendon cells". Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine 13.6 (2017): 3195-3202.
Chicago
Zheng, Y., Zhou, Y., Zhang, X., Chen, Y., Zheng, X., Cheng, T., Wang, C., Hu, X., Hong, J."Effects of hypoxia on differentiation of menstrual blood stromal stem cells towards tenogenic cells in a co‑culture system with Achilles tendon cells". Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine 13, no. 6 (2017): 3195-3202. https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2017.4383