The balance of HSPs expression during pregnancy: the role of placenta

New emerging potentials for human Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stem cells: immunological features and hepatocyte-like differentiative capacity.

In recent years, human mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) have been extensively studied. Their key characteristics of long-term self-renewal and a capacity to differentiate into diverse mature tissues favour their use in regenerative medicine applications. Stem cells can be found in embryonic and extra-embryonic tissues as well as in adult organs. Several reports indicate that cells of Wharton's jelly (WJ), the main component of umbilical cord extracellular matrix, are multipotent stem cells, expressing markers of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSC), and giving rise to different cellular types of both connective and nervous tissues. Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSC) express …

Extended characterization of human umbilical cord matrix mesenchymal stem cells: expression of novel markers, immunoregulatory molecules, and differentiating potency.

Extended characterization of hypoimmunogenic mesenchymal stem cells isolated from the subendocardial layer of human hearts from chronic heart failure patients

Purpose: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are pluripotent cells which are known to reside in a number of adult organs. In human heart, various populations of stem/progenitor cells have been isolated by different groups. Several efforts still need to be made to better characterize resident or migrating MSC populations in terms of markers expression and immunogenic potential prior to their use for regenerative medicine applications in heart diseases. Methods: MSC were isolated from the sub-endocardial layer of left ventricle sections of hearts explanted from patients affected by chronic heart failure (CHF). The expression of several markers characteristic of the MSC lineage was assessed at both t…

Isolation and characterization of pluripotent cells from the subendocardial layer of human hearts from chronic heart failure.

Purpose: Several literature reports indicated the existence of pluripotent cells residing into the heart wall, even if in vivo heart regeneration is still a poorly comprised phenomenon. Post-infarct chronic heart failure is a pathology for which heart transplant remains a key option of clinical intervention. The amount of data collected in recent years forces researchers to better characterize the properties of adult stem cells, especially for those isolated from heart. Methods: We developed a new protocol to obtain, from the subendocardial layer of post-infarct hearts explanted from chronic heart failure patients undergoing heart transplantation, populations of mesenchymal stem cells. The …

Isolation, characterization, differentiative properties of human mesenchymal stem cells isolated from the sub-endocardial layer of post-infarct chronic heart failure-affected patients

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are pluripotent cells which reside in several adult organs, including heart, even if heart regeneration in vivo is still a poorly comprised phenomenon. Contrasting literature reports suggest that several efforts should be made to better characterize resident or migrating MSC populations (for both markers expression and immunogenic potential) prior to their effective use for regenerative medicine applications in heart diseases. We developed a new protocol to obtain human sub-endocardial MSC (HSE-MSC) from post-infarct hearts explanted from chronic heart failure (CHF) patients undergoing heart transplantation. We characterized HSE-MSC by immunocytochemistry (ICC) …

Human Wharton's jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells express several immunomodulatory molecules both in their naïve state and hepatocyte-like differentiated progeny: prospects for their use in liver diseases

Wharton’s jelly (WJ), the main constituent of umbilical cord, is a reliable source of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC). WJ-MSC show unique ability in crossing lineage borders. As other extraembryonic mesenchymal populations (placenta and amnionderived cells), WJ-MSC express several immunomodulatory molecules, essential during the initial phases of human development. Indeed, our recent work pointed out the expression of non-classical HLA molecules as HLA-G in such cells, together with a favorable combination of B7 costimulators. Very few data in literature suggest that some of the immune features of the naïve cells are maintained after performing differentiation. The aim of this work was extendi…

Hsp10 beyond mitochondria: novel locations predict as yet undescribed roles

Role of Smads in respiratory disease pathogenesis

Transforming Growth Factor beta (TGFβ) cytokine plays an important role in normal pulmonary morphogenesis and function as well as in the pathogenesis of lung diseases. The principal signaling pathway downstream to activate TGFβ is the Smad pathway. Even though many studies have focused on Smads’ structural features and pathway, less is known about the possible relationship between protein and mRNA expression of Smads and lung diseases. This review will focus on Smads and sum up what is know about their role in some respiratory diseases: COPD,asthma end fibrosis

Oxidative stress induces myeloperoxidase expression in endocardial endothelial cells from patients with chronic heart failure.

Increased oxidative stress has been implicated in the pathogenesis of a number of cardiovascular diseases. Recent findings suggest that myeloperoxidase (MPO) may play a key role in the initiation and maintenance of chronic heart failure (CHF) by contributing to the depletion of the intracellular reservoir of nitric oxide (NO). NO consumption through MPO activity may lead to protein chlorination or nitration, leading to tissue damage. Primary cultures of human endocardial endothelial cells (EEC) obtained at heart transplantation of patients with CHF and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were subjected to oxidative stress by incubation with hydrogen peroxide at non lethal (60 mic…

Extending the usefulness of extraembryonic mesenchymal stem cellsin regenerative medicine: expression of novel markers, immunoregulatory molecules, and novel differentiation capacities.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are considered promising tools in regenerative medicine applications. Even if they are already applied clinically, their extended characterization is being increasingly viewed as a needed feature, in order to avoid contrasting results when translating “in vitro” experiments to “in vivo” approaches. We recently demonstrated in human MSC isolated from the umbilical cord matrix (HEMSC) the expression of novel markers indicative of their stemness, as well as differentiative and immune properties [1]. HEMSC were cultured and subject to multiple molecular and morphological analyses to determine the expression of markers of interest. Undifferentiated HEMSC expressed im…

Two isoelectric variants of HSP10 are down-regulated by cigarette smoke exposure in airway cells: A Proteomic study

Cigarette smoke exposure affects expression and extracellular activity levels of gelatinase A and B in airway epithelial cells

Isolation and characterization of Oct-4+/HLA-G+ mesenchymal stem cells from human umbilical cord matrix: differentiation potential and detection of new markers

The presence of multipotent cells in several adult and embryo-related tissues opened new paths for their use in regenerative medicine. Extraembryonic tissues such as umbilical cord are considered a promising source of stem cells, potentially useful in therapy. The characterization of cells from the umbilical cord matrix (Wharton''s Jelly) and amniotic membrane revealed the presence of a population of mesenchymal-like cells, sharing a set of core-markers expressed by "mesenchymal stem cells". Several reports enlightened the differentiation capabilities of these cells, even if at times the lack of an extensive characterization of surface markers and immune co-stimulators expression revealed h…

Distribution of mitochondrial chaperonins in lung cells

A novel isolation technique and extended characte-rization of mesenchymal stem cells from human umbilical cord matrix: disclosing new potentials for regenerative medicine applications.

In vitro and in vivo detection of end-products of MPO-driven oxidative and nitrosative stress in human endocardial endothelial cells from patients affected by chronic heart failure

Human HSP10 variants downregulation after cigarette smoke extract exposure in lung cells

The impact of cigarette-smoke stress (a form of oxidative stress) on human lung fibroblasts and epithelial cells, particularly its effect on Hsp10 expression, has not been characterized despite the fact that a role for mitochondrial chaperonins in the development of lung diseases, ranging from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease to bronchial carcinogenesis, has been suggested (1). We studied the effects of non-lethal doses of cigarette smoke extract (CSE) on the expression of Hsp10 in human lung fibroblasts (HFL-1 line) and epithelial cells (16HBE line). Proteomics was carried out using 2D-IPG, silver stain, western blotting, and mass-spectrometry; mRNA was measured by RT-PCR. Database se…

Isolation and characterization of human extraembryonal mesoderm mesenchymal stem cells from umbilical cord

TGFbeta signaling: roles of Smads

Oxidative stress-driven expression of myeloperoxidase in endothelial cells results in accumulation of markers of oxidative and nitrosative stress in vitro and in vivo

Endothelial cells (ECs), are able to manage with higher concentrations of ROS as well as reactive nitrogen species, respect to the other cell types. The unbalance between oxidizing species and antioxidant cellular defences has been implicated in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. While the role of MPO in the oxidative burst is well established, the effects of this enzyme on endothelial biology have only recently come to light. MPO can interact with endothelial –derived NO causing its depletion and favouring its conversion to nitrogen dioxide radical, a compound responsible of protein nitration generating 3-nitrotyrosine. Moreover, MPO is the only enzyme capable to form hypoclorous…

Telomerase activity and telomeric states in cell proliferative and differentiative mechanisms.

Telomeres are DNA-protein complexes playing an important role in the maintenance of genome integrity. Telomerase is the enzyme acting as a template for addition of new telomeric repeats; this addition is essential for those cellular populations that have proliferative and differentiative potential. Telomerase and associated proteins are essential in response to DNA damage. Moreover, telomere-associated proteins as TRF2 are involved in all signalling transduction pathway which drive cellular proliferation and differentiation. In somatic cells, shortening of telomeres contributes to the onset of senescence or apoptosis; tissues which require cellular renewal express telomerase activity in ord…

CIGARETTE SMOKE EXPOSURE DOWNREGULATES TWO ISOELECTRIC VARIANTS OF HUMAN Hsp10 IN LUNG EPITHELIAL CELLS AND FIBROBLASTS: A PROTEOMIC STUDY.

Isolation and characterization of pluripotent cells from the subendocardial layer of human hearts from chronic heart failure patients

Cigarette smoke exposure downregulates two isoelectric variants of human HSP10 in airway epithelial cells: A Proteomic study

ISOLATION, MORPHO-FUNCTIONAL CHARACTERIZATION AND TRANSDIFFERENTIATION OF MESENCHYMAL STEM CELLS FROM ADULT HUMAN HEART.

Role of endothelial cell stress in the pathogenesis of chronic heart failure.

Endothelial cells are key modulators of diverse physiological processes, and their impaired function is a cause of numerous cardiovascular diseases. Under physiologic condition, the reactive oxygen and nitrogen mediators in endothelia lead to the signal propagation of the initial stimulus, by forming molecules with a longer half-life like hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide is the focus of growing attention in endothelial biology, and consequently the enzymes involved in its generation and clearance are viewed as novel mediators of great importance. In particular, among peroxidases, myeloperoxidase is recognized as a key enzyme, capable of impairing intracellular NO reservoirs as well as p…

Isolation and Characterization of CD276+/HLA-E+ Human Subendocardial Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Chronic Heart Failure Patients: Analysis of Differentiative Potential and Immunomodulatory Markers Expression

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are virtually present in all postnatal organs as well as in perinatal tissues. MSCs can be differentiated toward several mature cytotypes and interestingly hold potentially relevant immunomodulatory features. Myocardial infarction results in severe tissue damage, cardiomyocyte loss, and eventually heart failure. Cellular cardiomyoplasty represents a promising approach for myocardial repair. Clinical trials using MSCs are underway for a number of heart diseases, even if their outcomes are hampered by low long-term improvements and the possible presence of complications related to cellular therapy administration. Therefore, elucidating the presence and role of MS…

Effects of oxidative stress on primary human endothelial cells. Potential active contribution of endothelium to inflammatory heart diseases

Wharton’s Jelly Mesenchymal Stem Cells as Candidates for Beta Cells Regeneration: Extending the Differentiative and Immunomodulatory Benefits of Adult Mesenchymal Stem Cells for the Treatment of Type 1 Diabetes

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are uniquely capable of crossing germinative layers borders (i.e. are able to differentiate towards ectoderm-, mesoderm- and endoderm-derived cytotypes) and are viewed as promising cells for regenerative medicine approaches in several diseases. Type I diabetes therapy should potentially benefit from such differentiated cells: the search for alternatives to organ/islet transplantation strategies via stem cells differentiation is an ongoing task, significant goals having been achieved in most experimental settings (e.g. insulin production and euglycaemia restoration), though caution is still needed to ensure safe and durable effects in vivo. MSC are obtainable in …