Journal article

Publication year: 2021

Journal: Stem Cells International

Volume number: 2021

ISSN: 1687-966X

eISSN: 1687-9678

Open access status: Gold

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/8284690

Publisher: Wiley

Abstract: 
Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) represent a promising therapeutic tool for tendon regeneration. Their tenogenic differentiation is crucial for tissue engineering approaches and may support their beneficial effects after cell transplantation in vivo. The transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta, signalling via intracellular Smad molecules, is a potent paracrine mediator of tenogenic induction. Moreover, scaffold topography or tendon matrix components induced tenogenesis via activation of the Rho/ROCK cascade, which, however, is also involved in pathological adaptations in extracellular matrix pathologies. The aim of this study was to investigate the interplay of Rho/ROCK and TGF-beta 3/Smad signalling in tenogenic differentiation in both human and equine MSC. Primary equine and human MSC isolated from adipose tissue were cultured as monolayers or on tendon-derived decellularized scaffolds to evaluate the influence of the ROCK inhibitor Y-27632 on TGF-beta 3-induced tenogenic differentiation. The MSC were incubated with and without TGF-beta 3 (10 ng/ml), Y-27632 (10 mu M), or both. On day 1 and day 3, the signalling pathway of TGF-beta and the actin cytoskeleton were visualized by Smad 2/3 and phalloidin staining, and gene expression of signalling molecules and tendon markers was assessed. ROCK inhibition was confirmed by disruption of the actin cytoskeleton. Activation of Smad 2/3 with nuclear translocation was evident upon TGF-beta 3 stimulation. Interestingly, this effect was most pronounced with additional ROCK inhibition in both species (p<0.05 in equine MSC). In line with that, the tendon marker scleraxis showed the strongest upregulation when TGF-beta 3 and ROCK inhibition were combined (p<0.05 in human MSC). The regulation pattern of tendon extracellular matrix components and the signalling molecules TGF-beta 3 and Smad 8 showed differences between human and equine MSC. The obtained results showed that ROCK inhibition promotes the TGF-beta 3/Smad 2/3 axis, with possible implications for future MSC priming regimes in tendon therapy.

Harvard Citation style: Melzer, M., Schubert, S., Müller, S., Geyer, J., Hagen, A., Niebert, S., et al. (2021) Rho/ROCK Inhibition Promotes TGF-β3-Induced Tenogenic Differentiation in Mesenchymal Stromal Cells, Stem Cells International, 2021, Article 8284690. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/8284690

APA Citation style: Melzer, M., Schubert, S., Müller, S., Geyer, J., Hagen, A., Niebert, S., & Burk, J. (2021). Rho/ROCK Inhibition Promotes TGF-β3-Induced Tenogenic Differentiation in Mesenchymal Stromal Cells. Stem Cells International. 2021, Article 8284690. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/8284690