Human Amniotic Mesenchymal Cells Differentiate into Chondrocytes

Abstract

Recently, cartilage diseases have been treated by auto- or allogenic chondrocyte transplantation. However, such treatments are limited by the necessity of having a large amount of cells for transplantation, the risk of rejection, and donor shortage. Since the human amnion is immune-privileged tissue suitable for allotransplantation, the potential of human amniotic mesenchymal cells (HAMc) to differentiate into chondrocytes was assessed. The expression of gene encoding transcription factors SOXs and bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) as well as BMP receptors were assessed. Chondrocyte phenotype was characterized by positive expression of the cartilage marker genes collagen type II and aggrecan by RT-PCR, collagen type II protein were analyzed by immunofluorescence analysis. HAMc expressed chondrocyte-related genes, including SOXs, BMPs, as well as BMP receptors. Collagen type II and aggrecan were detected after the induction of chondrogenesis with BMP-2. HAMc, transplanted into noncartilage tissue of mice with BMP-2, or implanted with collagen-scaffold into the defects generated in a rat's bone, underwent morphological changes with deposition of collagen type II. These results showed that HAMc have the potential to differentiate into chondrocytes in vitro and in vivo, suggesting that they have therapeutic potential for the treatment of damaged or diseased cartilage.

Mesenchymal Stem or Stromal Cells from Amnion and Umbilical Cord Tissue and Their Potential for Clinical Applications

“…In most cases, hAMSC are obtained in subsequent enzymatic digestions. After complete removal of human amniotic epithelial cells (hAEC) by trypsin digestion, hAMSC are digested with various types and concentrations of collagenase (0.75–2 mg/mL) with or without adding DNase (20–75 μg/mL) [8,11,17,19,23,47,48,49,50,51,52]. Lisi et al [14] have additionally added trypsin; Tawagawa et al [53] have supplemented dispase and papain.…”

“…Mesenchymal cells derived from amniotic membrane have been referred to in various ways by different research groups, including human amnion/amniotic mesenchymal stromal cells (hAMSC[s]), amniotic membrane mesenchymal stem cells (AM-MSC), amniotic membrane-human mesenchymal stromal cells (AM-hMSC), amnion-derived MSC, amniotic mesenchymal fibroblasts, human amnion stromal cells (hASC), human amniotic mesenchymal tissue cells (AMTC), human amniotic mesenchymal cells (HAMc), mesenchymal cells derived from human amniotic membrane (MC-HAM), human amniotic mesenchymal stem cells (hAMs), human amniotic membrane-derived mesenchymal cells (hAMCs or hAM-MSC) and human amnion-derived fibroblast-like cells (HADFIL) [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25]. During the first meeting of the “International Placenta Stem Cell Society” (IPLASS) in 2007, it was agreed that the nomenclature of these cells should be unified as “human amniotic mesenchymal stromal cells” (hAMSC) [19].…”

Toward Cell Therapy Using Placenta-Derived Cells: Disease Mechanisms, Cell Biology, Preclinical Studies, and Regulatory Aspects at the Round Table

“…Recent advances regarding the differentiation potential of placenta-derived cells have shown expression of major cartilage components by hAMSC after chondrogenic induction, with deposition of collagen II after implantation of these cells into the subfascial space of the abdominal muscle of mice [ 22 ]. Mesenchymal cells from the amniotic and chorionic membranes have also been recently shown to differentiate in vitro into a range of neuronal and oligodendrocyte precursors [ 23 ].…”

Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Human Amniotic Membrane

“…The expression of oligomeric matrix protein (COMP), SRY-related HMG box family (SOX) as SOX5, SOX6, SOX9, and the presence of collagen type II and aggrecan (Fig. 17.5 ) in the extracellular matrix of differentiated cells indicates the capacity to differentiate into a chondrocyte-like phenotype [ 14 ]; presence of calcium deposits (Fig. 17.5 ) and expression of osteopontin (OP) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) indicates the capacity to differentiate into osteoblast-like cells.…”