CD90-positive cells, an additional cell population, produce laminin alpha2 upon transplantation to dy(3k)/dy(3k) mice

Exp Cell Res. 2008 Jan 1;314(1):193-203. doi: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2007.09.020. Epub 2007 Oct 3.

Abstract

Laminin alpha2 is a component of skeletal and cardiac muscle basal lamina. A defect of the laminin alpha2 chain leads to severe congenital muscular dystrophy (MDC1A) in humans and dy/dy mice. Myogenic cells including myoblasts, myotubes, and myofibers in skeletal muscle are a possible source of the laminin alpha2 chain, and myogenic cells are thus proposed as a cell source for congenital muscular dystrophy therapy. However, we observed production of laminin alpha2 in non-myogenic cells of normal mice, and we could enrich these laminin alpha2-producing cells in CD90(+) cell fractions. Intriguingly, the number of CD90(+) cells increased dramatically during skeletal muscle regeneration in mice. This fraction did not include myogenic cells but exhibited a fibroblast-like phenotype. Moreover, these cells were resident in skeletal muscle, not derived from bone marrow. Finally, the production of laminin alpha2 in CD90(+) cells was not dependent on fusion with myogenic cells. Thus, CD90(+) cells are a newly identified additional cell fraction that increased during skeletal muscle regeneration in vivo and could be another cell source for therapy for lama2-deficient muscular dystrophy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Newborn
  • Biomarkers / analysis
  • Biomarkers / metabolism
  • Cell Separation / methods
  • Cell Shape / physiology
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Female
  • Fibroblasts / metabolism*
  • Fibroblasts / transplantation*
  • Laminin / deficiency
  • Laminin / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Muscle Development / physiology
  • Muscle, Skeletal / cytology
  • Muscle, Skeletal / metabolism*
  • Muscular Dystrophies / metabolism
  • Muscular Dystrophies / physiopathology
  • Muscular Dystrophies / therapy
  • Phenotype
  • Regeneration / physiology
  • Stem Cell Transplantation / methods
  • Stem Cells / metabolism
  • Thy-1 Antigens / metabolism*
  • Tissue Transplantation / methods*

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Laminin
  • Thy-1 Antigens
  • laminin alpha 2