Functional vascular smooth muscle-like cells derived from adult mouse uterine mesothelial cells

PLoS One. 2013;8(2):e55181. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0055181. Epub 2013 Feb 6.

Abstract

In mammalian visceral organs, vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) originate from an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of embryonic mesothelial cells (MCs). The ability of adult MCs to recapitulate EMT and to acquire smooth muscle (SM) markers upon provasculogenic culture suggested they might retain embryonic vasculogenic differentiation potential. However, it remains unknown whether adult MCs-derived SM-like cells may acquire specific vascular SM lineage markers and the functionality of differentiated contractile VSMCs. Here, we describe how a gentle trypsinization of adult mouse uterine cords could selectively detach their outermost uterine mesothelial layer cells. As other MCs; uterine MCs (UtMCs) uniformly expressed the epithelial markers β-catenin, ZO-1, E-cadherin, CD54, CD29, and CK18. When cultured in a modified SM differentiation media (SMDM) UtMCs initiated a loss of epithelial characteristics and gained markers expression of EMT (Twist, Snail, and Slug), stem and progenitor (Nanog, Sox2, C-kit, Gata-4, Isl-1, and nestin), SM (α-SMA, calponin, caldesmon, SM22α, desmin, SM-MHC, and smoothelin-B) and cardiac (BMP2, BMP4, ACTC1, sACTN, cTnI, cTnT, ANF, Cx43, and MLC2a). UtMCs repeatedly subcultured in SMDM acquired differentiated VSM-like characteristics and expressed smoothelin-B in the typical stress-fiber pattern expression of contractile VSMCs. Relevantly, UtMCs-derived VSM-like cells could generate "mechanical force" to compact collagen lattices and displayed in diverse degree voltage (K(+)) and receptor (endothelin-1, oxytocin, norepinephrine, carbachol and vasopressin)-induced [Ca(2+)](i) rises and contraction. Thus, we show for the first time that UtMCs could recapitulate in vitro differentiative events of early cardiovascular differentiation and transdifferentiate in cells exhibiting molecular and functional characteristics of VSMCs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biomarkers / metabolism
  • Cadherins / metabolism
  • Calcium / metabolism
  • Cell Differentiation / physiology
  • Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition
  • Female
  • Integrin beta1 / metabolism
  • Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Muscle Contraction / physiology
  • Muscle Proteins / metabolism
  • Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / metabolism
  • Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / physiology*
  • Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / metabolism
  • Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / physiology*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Receptors, Cell Surface / metabolism
  • Receptors, Endothelin / metabolism
  • Trypsin / metabolism
  • Uterus / metabolism
  • Uterus / physiology*
  • Zonula Occludens-1 Protein / metabolism
  • beta Catenin / metabolism

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Cadherins
  • Integrin beta1
  • Muscle Proteins
  • Receptors, Cell Surface
  • Receptors, Endothelin
  • Zonula Occludens-1 Protein
  • beta Catenin
  • Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1
  • Trypsin
  • Calcium

Grants and funding

Authors are supported by the Fundación Progreso y Salud, Consejería de Salud, Junta de Andalucía (Grant PI-0022/2008); Consejería de Innovación Ciencia y Empresa, Junta de Andalucía (Grant CTS-6505; INP-2011-1615-900000); FEDER co-funded grants from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Red TerCel-Grant RD06/0010/0025; PI10/00964) and the Ministry of Health and Consumer Affairs (Advanced Therapies Program Grant TRA-120). CIBERDEM is an initiative of the Instituto de Salud Carlos III. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.