Amniotic fluid-derived mesenchymal stem cells lead to bone differentiation when cocultured with dental pulp stem cells

Tissue Eng Part A. 2011 Mar;17(5-6):645-53. doi: 10.1089/ten.TEA.2010.0340. Epub 2010 Nov 22.

Abstract

Mesenchymal stem cells are present in many tissues of the human body, including amniotic fluid (AF) and dental pulp (DP). Stem cells of both AF and DP give rise to a variety of differentiated cells. In our experience, DP stem cells (DPSCs) display a high capacity to produce bone. Therefore, our aim was to investigate if AF-derived stem cells (AFSCs) were able to undergo bone differentiation in the presence of DPSCs. AFSCs were seeded under three different conditions: (i) cocultured with DPSCs previously differentiated into osteoblasts; (ii) cultured in the conditioned medium of osteoblast-differentiated DPSCs; (iii) cultured in the osteogenic medium supplemented with vascular endothelial growth factor and bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2). Results showed that AFSCs were positive for mesenchymal markers, and expressed high levels of Tra1-60, Tra1-80, BMPR1, BMPR2, and BMP-2. In contrast, AFSCs were negative for epithelial and hematopoietic/endothelial markers. When AFSCs were cocultured with DPSCs-derived osteoblasts, they differentiated into osteoblasts. A similar effect was observed when AFSCs were cultured in the presence of a conditioned medium originated from DPSCs. We found that osteoblasts derived from DPSCs released large amounts of BMP-2 and vascular endothelial growth factor into the culture medium and that those morphogens significantly upregulate RUNX-2 gene, stimulating osteogenesis. This study highlights the mechanisms of osteogenesis and strongly suggests that the combination of AFSCs with DPSCs may provide a rich source of soluble proteins useful for bone engineering purposes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Alkaline Phosphatase / metabolism
  • Amniotic Fluid / cytology*
  • Anthraquinones / metabolism
  • Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 / genetics
  • Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 / metabolism
  • Bone and Bones / cytology*
  • Calcification, Physiologic / drug effects
  • Cell Differentiation* / drug effects
  • Cell Shape / drug effects
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Coculture Techniques / methods*
  • Culture Media, Conditioned / pharmacology
  • Dental Pulp / cytology*
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique
  • Gene Expression Regulation / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Mesenchymal Stem Cells / cytology*
  • Mesenchymal Stem Cells / drug effects
  • Mesenchymal Stem Cells / enzymology
  • Middle Aged
  • Osteocalcin / genetics
  • Osteocalcin / metabolism
  • Osteogenesis / drug effects
  • Osteonectin / genetics
  • Osteonectin / metabolism
  • Phenotype
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / metabolism
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Anthraquinones
  • Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2
  • Culture Media, Conditioned
  • Osteonectin
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • Osteocalcin
  • alizarin
  • Alkaline Phosphatase