Suspension of Amorphous Calcium Phosphate Nanoparticles Impact Commitment of Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cells In Vitro

Abstract

Amorphous calcium phosphate (aCaP) nanoparticles may trigger the osteogenic commitment of adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) in vitro. The ASCs of three human donors are investigated using basal culture medium DMEM to either 5 or 50 µg/mL aCaP nanoparticles suspension (control: no nanoparticles). After 7 or 14 days, stem cell marker genes, as well as endothelial, osteogenic, chondrogenic, and adipogenic genes, are analyzed by qPCR. Free calcium and phosphate ion concentrations are assessed in the cell culture supernatant. After one week and 5 µg/mL aCaP, downregulation of osteogenic markers ALP and Runx2 is found, and averaged across the three donors. Our results show that after two weeks, ALP is further downregulated, but Runx2 is upregulated. Endothelial cell marker genes, such as CD31 and CD34, are upregulated with 50 µg/mL aCaP and a 2-week exposure. Inter-donor variability is high: Two out of three donors show a significant upregulation of ALP and Runx2 at day 14 with 50 µg/mL aCaP compared to 5 µg/mL aCaP. Notably, all changes in stem cell commitment are obtained in the absence of an osteogenic medium. While the chemical composition of the culture medium and the saturation status towards calcium phosphate phases remain approximately the same for all conditions, gene expression of ASCs changes considerably. Hence, aCaP nanoparticles show the potential to trigger osteogenic and endothelial commitment in ASCs.